Public Utility Law Group
The Ransmeier & Spellman Public Utility Law Group has a long and successful history of representing water, telephone, electric, and gas companies and other interests before the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission ("PUC"), Federal and State Courts, Federal and State agencies, and the New Hampshire Legislature. Services provided include:
- general litigation and appellate representation
- creating, acquiring, consolidating and merging utility companies
- bankruptcy and reorganization of utilities
- counsel in all aspects of rate cases, representation including rate base valuations, rate of return determinations, cost of service, temporary and permanent rates, rate structure and tariff design matters
- bond counsel and opinions on securities issues
- establishing, transferring or discontinuing franchises
- government relations counsel, including bill drafting, testimony and lobbying
- representation in generic policy and rulemaking dockets
- litigation concerning State and municipal taxation of utilities
- utility representation in condemnation and customer complaint proceedings
- counsel in the negotiation and preparation of agreements between utilities and agreements between utilities and their customers (including long term power agreements, wheeling, inter-connection and special rate agreements)
- representation in environmental compliance proceedings before the Department of Environmental Services
- counsel in small power producer proceedings, including hydro-electric dam licensing
- representation in conservation and demand side management proceedings.
RANSMEIER & SPELLMAN
PUBLIC UTILITY LAW GROUP
The Group has decades of experience in virtually every type of
utility matter.
DOM S. D'AMBRUOSO, formerly the Executive Director of the PUC, has represented clients in telephone and water rate cases, successfully defended against the hostile takeover attempt of a major N.H. electric utility, resolved scores of utility legislative issues, obtained approval of numerous franchises and special contracts, and is currently working on the restructuring of the electric utility industry.
JOHN C. RANSMEIER has extensive experience with utility reorganizations, including representing utilities in the sale of Seabrook ownership shares and representing creditors in the N.H. Electric Cooperative, Inc. reorganization. He also represents utilities in local tax abatement issues. Mr. Ransmeier is general local corporate counsel for a N.H. electric utility.
JEFFREY J. ZELLERS has a master's degree in taxation and has practiced in the tax field for over twelve years. He has lectured and authored articles in the business and tax law areas. Mr. Zellers has acted as counsel to a Rural Electric Cooperative, during which representation he represented the Cooperative before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, in state administrative proceedings and before the federal government on debt restructuring matters.
JOHN T. ALEXANDER has successfully concluded a lengthy generic proceeding that established an important new policy for the transportation of natural gas in N.H.
JOSEPH S. RANSMEIER, the senior attorney in the firm, serves as an advisor to the Group. As a career public utility lawyer, he has represented a diverse list of major utilities in a broad range of regulatory and business matters, including reorganizations and security issues. His background includes a Ph.D. degree in economics, with particular emphasis upon public utilities.