Abraham F. Johns

Associate

O: 202-393-1200 C: 202-235-4243
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Abe focuses his practice on the regulation of electricity and natural gas, representing clients such as regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and transmission owners before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), D.C. Circuit and other federal courts.  With a passion for analyzing and understanding the new and unique issues of the energy industry, Abe provides his clients with comprehensive answers and sound guidance on a range of complex energy-related regulatory matters.

Before joining Wright & Talisman, Abe served as an associate in both the power practice group and the oil & gas practice group at an AmLaw 100 law firm in Washington, D.C.  His focus before FERC was on the regulation of electricity and natural gas, and he gained experience working on natural gas rate cases, the certification and ongoing compliance of liquefied natural gas facilities, and the transmission, distribution, and storage of electric energy.  During law school, Abe served as president of the Lambda Law Students Association (now, OutLaw) and participated in the Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship program, where he served as a summer associate at both a global law firm and a major financial services institution.  Prior to law school, Abe worked for education-focused non-profits and received the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for his service with City Year in San Antonio, Texas.

Experience

Representing entities in drafting and submitting applications for market-based rate authority before FERC and maintaining that authority through on-going compliance obligations.

Drafting and negotiating agreements that provide for transmission interconnection of generation resources and wholesale market participation.

Representing a group of transmission owners before FERC in successfully revising ancillary service provisions of an RTO’s tariff to eliminate reactive supply and voltage control compensation within a standard power factor range across a multi-state RTO region.

Assisting RTOs through a rulemaking proceeding before FERC, which resulted in Order No. 2023, reforming the standard generator interconnection processes and agreements.

Advocating for a group of transmission owners in a rulemaking proceeding before FERC concerning long-term regional transmission planning, cost allocation, and generator interconnection.

Representing public utilities and transmission owners before FERC in market rule proceedings, administrative litigation, and technical conferences.

Drafting a declaratory order asserting jurisdiction over a proper rate dispute that an RTO properly paid for emergency power during a winter weather event.

Drafting pleadings and compliance filings associated with revisions to formula rate worksheets for a group of transmission owners and supporting documentation to comply with Order No. 864 to facilitate accounting changes related to Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes.

Representing a group of transmission owners before FERC responding to a complaint seeking removal of tariff provisions acknowledging state-based rights of first refusal for transmission development.

Representing transmission owners in a rulemaking proceeding before FERC concerning the implementation of dynamic line ratings.

Representing a natural gas pipeline company seeking rehearing of FERC’s interim policy statements concerning certification of interstate natural gas facilities and consideration of greenhouse gas emissions in natural gas infrastructure project reviews.

Drafting pleadings and compliance filings associated with revisions to RTO-governing documents.

Representing an RTO before FERC in its compliance with Order No. 2222, integrating distributed energy resource aggregations.

Representing and advising an RTO in the filing of tariff revisions constituting a comprehensive reform of its interconnection process by transitioning to a “first-ready, first-served” cycle approach.

Representing liquified natural gas facilities through their certification process and on-going compliance before FERC.

Representing entities in properly submitting their electronic quarterly reports with FERC.

Advocating for a group of transmission owners before FERC for transmission development incentives.

Admissions

District of Columbia

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit

Education

University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with honors (2018)  (Staff Writer, North Carolina Law Review)

University of North Carolina, B.A (2010)

Professional Activities

Energy Bar Association

LGBT Bar Association

Publications