Register at the Canyon Room, Hilton Embassy Suites, 4415 E. Paradise Village Road, Scottsdale - Phoenix, Arizona
Canyon Room
An optional introductory 1.5-hour tour of the entire body of the substantive law of utility regulation: its foundations, structure, intersections and frontiers. With this mental "file cabinet," newer attorneys can identify legal subjects deserving more study, and veteran attorneys can structure their mentoring efforts. Scott Hempling, Esquire
Reception at East Patio outside Canyon Room is included in Registration fee.
Painted Mountain Ballroom A/B
Thomas Van Flein, General Counsel, Arizona Corporation Commission and 2026 NCRA PresidentOpening remarks by Kevin Thompson, Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission on the evolving role of regulatory attorneys in a high-load, high-tech era. How electrification, AI, and data-center growth are reshaping utility law, jurisdictional boundaries, and the skill set needed for modern regulatory counsel.
Ways to Align Legal Substance and Procedure with Statutory Intent and Market RealityArguments for "neutrality" miss regulatory law's substantive purpose: to identify and address the unavoidable conflict between the utility's private interest and the statutory public interest. Traditional commission practices embed this error in procedures that give more space to monopoly messaging than to objective analysis. Resource asymmetry produces commission reactivity. Solutions are available—if legal leaders act.Scott Hempling, Esquire
Overview of FERC Operations and Tips on practicing before FERCMichael Haddad, Managing Attorney, Office of General Counsel at FERC
Overview of the intersection of federal, state, and local authority with regards to data center siting. Kelly Monaghan – Deputy Executive Director, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Lunch “Tour of Italy Buffet” at Tatum's with Patio Key Note Speaker: Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson, AZCC
Kim Duffley, Senior Director of Energy Policy and Legal Counsel, National Association of Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC) reports on federal matters and news from Capitol Hill.
Lisa Youngers, EdgeConneX, Moderates a panel of experts on current telecommunications issues.Lisa Youngers, EdgeConneX, ModeratorStaci Pies, SVP Government Relations and Policy, IncompasBrian Regan, Managing Director, Quadra Partners
Water and wastewater utility acquisitions are becoming increasingly complex amid aging infrastructure, rising compliance costs, and emerging environmental issues such as PFAS. Our panel of experts will discuss regulatory approval processes, integration practices, compliance expectations, environmental and legal risk management, and consumer advocacy considerations associated with these transactions.Kelly Cashman-Grams, General Counsel, Tennessee Public Utility Commission, ModeratorTammy Helminski, Partner, Earth & Water LawKimberly Joyce, Vice President – Regulatory Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Essential Utilities Inc.Shaun Sparks, Legal Counsel and Chief of Staff to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner Ralph V. YanoraKaren Stachowski, Deputy Attorney General, Consumer Advocate Division
Ethical Obligations of Succession Planning and Mentorship Henry Walker, Partner, Bradley Cheryl Walker Davis, Retired Director, Office of Special Assistants Pennsylvania Public Utility CommissionChris Kempley, former Chief Counsel of AZCC
Tatum's Restaurant and Patio
Tatum's Restaurant and PatioChoice of Chicken or Vegetarian main entree
Registration and Continental Breakfast Day 2 - Administrative Law, ALJs and Procedural Innovation Breakfast
A deep dive into how administrative law is evolving for utility and energy cases:• Recent court decisions affecting deference to agencies, rulemaking vs. adjudication, and separation-of-powers concerns.• Best practices for ALJs managing complex technical dockets, multi-party settlements, pro se complainants, and public participation.• Use of special masters, technical advisors, and hybrid written/oral proceedings.• Protecting due process while encouraging efficiency, settlement, and transparency.• Settlement, Mediation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Nicholas Walstra, Administrative Law Judge, Public Utility Commission of OhioKristen Edwards, Hearing Examiner, South Dakota Public Utilities CommissionIsabel “Izzy” Marcelletti, Utilities Attorney Examiner, Public Utility Commission of Ohio
Lonnie Chapman, Manager, Transmission & Distribution System Control, Tucson Electric PowerMichael Grant, Executive Director Oregon Public Utility Commission
This session will focus on FERC’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (RM26-4) addressing rapidly expanding data-center and AI-related loads, grid reliability implications, and cost allocation for needed transmission and generation upgrades. Kim Duffley, Senior Director of Energy Policy and General Counsel, NARUCElizabeth Barnes, Deputy Chief Counsel, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Adam Stafford, Assistant Attorney General, Environmental Protection Unit
Palo Verde Nuclear Reactor and Generating Station Tour REAL ID REQUIREDFree bus transportation provided to/from the hotel to nuclear plant and return. Estimated total time 4 hours. 12:00 PM departure from hotel front entrance and return at 4:00 PM
Modern Rate Design for a High-DER, High-Load Future• Time-varying rates, demand charges, and performance-based regulation.• Incorporating DERs, storage, demand response, and EV charging.Steven M. Olea, Arizona Corporations Commission
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Legal, Regulatory, and Siting ChallengesSMRs are moving from concept to potential deployment and are a key part of grid expansion under the Department of Energy. This panel will address:• NRC licensing pathways, combined licenses, and potential expedited frameworks.• State prudence review, cost-recovery mechanisms, and CWIP/AFUDC issues.• Siting and environmental review: NEPA, state NEPA-like laws, and EJ considerations.• Contract structures (PPAs, cost-sharing partnerships, utility ownership models).• Public participation, risk communication, and litigation risks for utilities and commissions.State-Level Strategies for Evaluating SMR Projects* Developing robust evidentiary records on long-term cost, reliability, and decommissioning.• Integrating SMRs into IRPs, resource portfolios, and clean-energy standards.• Lessons from early SMR proposals and withdrawn or delayed nuclear projects.• Who pays for upgrades to local distribution and substation infrastructure?• Tariff design and special contracts for very large loads.• Land-use, noise, water-use, and community-impact conditions in regulatory orders.Nick Myers, Chairman, Arizona Corporations Commission (moderator) Molly Bupp, Senior Staff Counsel, Nuclear Energy Institute Tom Van Flein, General Counsel, Arizona Corporations Commission Brad Berles, Director, APS
• Dealing with public records, leaks, and social-media attacks on agencies and judges.• Ex parte rules, informal contacts, and “soft lobbying” around high-stakes cases.• Managing dual roles as advisor, advocate, and sometimes witness.Meghan Grabel, Partner at the law firm of Osborn Maledon in Phoenix, Arizona and adjunct ASU Professor
Closing remarks by Tom Van Flein, President NCRA 2026, andElizabeth Barnes, Chair NARUC Staff Subcommittee on LAW.
Individual Registration for Government or Public Interest Employees and Retirees. Includes Sunday reception and Monday dinner.
NCRA Alumni engaged in corporate or private practice. Includes Sunday reception and Monday dinner.
Yes, it's okay to send me text messages including order confirmations, updates, event reminders, and event information. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel. View our terms of service & privacy policy.
Guests are welcome to attend the Sunday, May 3rd reception at the Embassy Suites Hilton Hotel for an additional fee of $30.00 per person.
Guests are welcome to attend the Monday, May 4th dinner for an additional fee of $50 per person. Please select the correct amount below to add to your total if you are bringing guest(s).
