Frederic Lee Klein

Frederic Lee Klein has wide-ranging experience in energy, water and utility matters, including sustainable and renewable energy, development of distributed generation (DG), cogeneration, combined heat and power (CHP), fuel cells and solar energy, district heating loops, energy efficiency and demand-side management; regulation of electric, natural gas and water companies; mergers and acquisitions; permitting and land use; customer matters; complex transactions and competitive energy procurement for large energy intensive industries. Fred chairs the Energy and Utilities Section of the firm's Regulatory, Energy and Telecommunications Department.

Fred has advised and represented regulated and unregulated companies before more than a dozen state and federal regulatory commissions, district and appellate courts, and also has represented clients on numerous complex energy transactions and development projects.  He has litigated cases involving regulation of electric utilities, natural gas distribution companies and pipelines, as well as water companies. In addition, Fred has advised clients on antitrust matters and issues of utility regulation. He has provided legislative support on energy and water related issues in various states and has negotiated and drafted numerous power purchase and sale agreements, host agreements and general contract templates for both buyers and sellers of electricity, natural gas and renewable energy products. Fred also has represented competitive energy marketers throughout the Northeast with respect to licensing and regulatory issues, as well as wholesale and retail customers in contract negotiation and drafting.

Fred is an American Arbitration Association (AAA) trained mediator and has been involved in large complex multi-party mediations involving the energy industry. He also has conducted numerous arbitrations.

With a background in engineering, business and law, Fred has more than 30 years of experience in the energy, water and utility industries. He has been a regulator, a consumer advocate and has represented utilities and other industries in regulatory and transactional matters, as well as in the development of energy and water projects. After graduating with a degree with honors in Power Systems Engineering, Fred began his career as a utility engineer. Later, after receiving his law degree, he practiced with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and a Washington D.C. law firm before becoming Assistant General Counsel and Chief Regulatory Counsel at Northeast Utilities (now Eversource). He is frequent speaker at energy and water conferences and seminars.

Office

Professional Affiliations

Connecticut Bar Association

Connecticut Better Business Bureau - former director and member of the Executive Committee; former chairman, Operations Committee

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection - former Lemon Law Arbitrator
Connecticut Power and Energy Society - past president (six terms), current board member

Connecticut Power and Energy Society - member, board of directors and past president

Connecticut Water Planning Council Advisory Group

Edison Electric Institute - past co-chair, Power Supply Task Force; former member, Economics and Public Policy Executive Advisory Committee

Northeast Chapter of the Energy Bar Association - former board member and chairman, Charitable Foundation

Northeast Energy & Commerce Association - former co-chair, Legislative and Regulatory Committee

Power Options - member, board of directors

Honors & Recognitions

Named Hartford "Lawyer of the Year" in the Energy Law category for 2023 by The Best Lawyers in America

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of energy law and water law since 2011

2018 finalist, Connecticut Science Center Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Award

2016 recipient of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Award from the Boy Scouts of America, Connecticut Yankee Council

Named as a 2009 MS Corporate Achiever by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter

• Works closely with developers of power projects on all aspects of development, including siting, power purchase agreements (PPAs), interconnection agreements, fuel supply arrangements, financing, interfacing with regional system operators
• Works with large energy consumers in siting and purchasing renewable energy from projects at their facilities
• Represented large international energy company in acquisition of large domestic combined electric and natural gas utility
• Represents Connecticut’s largest water utility on regulatory matters, including M&A and rate matters
• Represents a major Connecticut water company on land use issues
• Represents investors in due diligence investigations of potential power plant and corporate acquisitions
• Successfully argued appeal of power company rate case before the Connecticut Supreme Court
• Successfully argued appeal of interstate electric transmission case before U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• Successfully defended appellate challenge to acquisition of major energy company
• Responsible for Hart Scott Rodino antitrust review by U.S. Department of Justice and Connecticut Attorney General in connection with a proposed merger of two major energy companies
• Represented clients before appeals courts and executive agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, and state regulatory agencies throughout the Northeast
• Negotiated numerous purchase and sale transactions; developed wholesale and retail contract templates, licensed competitive marketer in multiple states

Speaking Engagements

Publications

Press Releases