Laura Chappelle

Laura Chappelle’s practice focuses on regulatory and legal policy issues involving state and federal energy sectors. She has more than 25 years of experience in state, wholesale and regional energy issues. Laura previously served as a chairman and commissioner with the Michigan Public Service Commission from 2000 – 2007.  Prior to that, she was deputy legal counsel and regulatory policy advisor to Michigan Governor John Engler, assistant legal counsel for Michigan Speaker of the House Paul Hillegonds, and a regulatory policy advisor and legal counsel for both the Michigan House and Senate. 

Ms. Chappelle represents clients before the Michigan Public Service Commission, including energy suppliers and marketers, independent power producers, manufacturers, agricultural processors, public entities and institutions, and trade associations representing competitive power supply and business interests. She is also active in state energy matters in both PJM and MISO, as well as representing clients before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”).

Representative Experience

• Counsel for a major state university in successfully obtaining pertinent waivers for the university’s large generation plant from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
• Formed a state association of industrial users interested in state energy-related regulatory and policy matters.
• Formed a group of IPP renewable generators, including hydroelectric, landfill gas and waste-to-energy facilities, and successfully obtained new 20-year PPAs from the utility for them.
• Assisted multiple private equity funds in the purchase of regulated utilities, including advising on strategy and leading contested case litigation at the public service commission.