William Rappolt: Sheppard Mullin

Overview

Bill Rappolt is a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. He is a member of the Energy Industry Team and Real Estate, Energy, Land Use & Environmental Practice Group.

Areas of Practice

Bill represents clients in the natural gas, electric and oil/liquids industries in commercial transactions and before federal agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state utility commissions and appellate courts. Bill often represents natural gas pipelines and storage providers, electric generators, power marketing and trading companies, commercial class electric customers, electric utilities, independent electric transmission providers and oil/liquids pipelines and storage providers. He has worked across the renewable energy sector, including on wind, solar and biomass projects, and on electric battery storage projects.

Bill aids clients with rate-making issues involving cost of service, return on equity and rate design. He also advises and represents energy industry participants regarding tariff-related issues, natural gas pipeline certificates, Department of Energy (DOE) export and import authorizations, market-based rate authorizations, compliance with energy market rules and regulations, standards of conduct, interconnection rules and negotiations, and purchases and sales of energy facilities and companies.

Prior to practicing law, Bill was an energy industry analyst in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Office of Administrative Litigation. In this role, he worked on numerous natural gas, oil/liquids and electric matters dealing with utilities' rate making issues, interconnection requests and complaints concerning tariff compliance. He was responsible for developing and presenting positions on regulatory issues set for hearing before administrative law judges at FERC.

On a pro bono basis, Bill represents victims of domestic violence seeking Civil Protection Orders and victims of employer based discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), District of Columbia Human Rights Act (DCHRA) and the District of Columbia Family and Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA).

Experience

Representative Matters:

Natural Gas Sector:

Represented various pipelines in NGA Section 4 and Section 5 proceedings involving rates and terms and conditions of service before FERC.
Represented natural gas market participants in certificate proceedings before FERC.
Represented natural gas pipelines in appellate proceedings.
Advised energy market participants concerning tariff compliance and standards of conduct.
Represented natural gas storage facilities and a pipeline seeking market based rate authority.
Counseled clients concerning interconnection.
Conducted due diligence associated with potential acquisitions of pipeline and storage facilities for major energy companies.
Provided advice to natural gas market participants regarding FERC jurisdiction and ratemaking.
Provided advice to natural gas market participants regarding commercial transactions.
Represented natural gas market participant seeking export and import authorization from the Department of Energy (DOE).

Electric Sector:

Represented various electric market participants in FPA Section 205 and Section 206 proceedings involving rates and terms and conditions of service before FERC.
Represented various electric market participants in complaint proceedings before FERC.
Represented electric market participants in regulatory proceedings involving rates and terms and conditions of service before various state regulatory entities.
Represented electric market participants in appellate proceedings.
Provided advice concerning compliance with tariff provisions and standards of conduct.
Provided advice concerning, and negotiated, interconnection and transmission agreements.
Represented energy industry participants in investigations concerning allegations of the exercise of market power and price manipulation by industry participants.
Represented electric market participant seeking export and import authorization from the Department of Energy (DOE).

Oil/Liquids Sector: