Riley Conlin

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Riley Conlin is an associate in the firm’s Energy Development Group and focuses his practice on regulatory matters at the state and federal levels.

Prior to joining Stoel Rives, Riley was an associate and a law clerk for a litigation firm in Minneapolis, a student attorney for the University of Minnesota Business Law Clinic, and completed multiple clerkship and summer associate positions while in law school.

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Minnesota Court of Appeals Handles Supreme Court Remand by Deferring to MPUC’s Findings on Gas Plant Need

By Riley Conlin and Andrew Moratzka on Posted in Minnesota, Regulation
As a follow up to our post here, the Minnesota Court of Appeals issued a decision on August 23 affirming the MPUC’s decisions related to the Nemadji Trail Energy Center natural gas plant (NTEC) that will be constructed in Superior, Wisconsin.  Applying a deferential standard of review, the Court analyzed the appeal (on remand from … Continue Reading

MEPA Review Not Required as Part of Wisconsin Gas Plant Affiliated-Interest Agreements, Says Minnesota Supreme Court

By Riley Conlin, Sarah Johnson Phillips and Andrew Moratzka on Posted in Minnesota, Regulation
As a follow up to a previous post the Minnesota Supreme Court issued its decision on April 21, 2021, reversing the Minnesota Court of Appeals and remanding the matter for further review.  In so doing, the Court concluded that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission properly concluded that MEPA review was not required. The Court first … Continue Reading

Minnesota Court of Appeals Determines MEPA Review Required for Wisconsin Natural Gas Generating Facility

By Andrew Moratzka, Sarah Johnson Phillips and Riley Conlin on Posted in Minnesota, Regulation
On December 23, 2019, the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed and remanded a decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) approving affiliated-interest agreements permitting Minnesota Power and its Wisconsin affiliate to move forward with the construction of a large natural gas facility – the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (“NTEC”) – in Superior, Wisconsin … Continue Reading

Renewable Energy Trending in State Legislative Sessions

By Riley Conlin and Sarah Johnson Phillips on Posted in Climate Change, Energy Policy, Regulation, Renewable
State legislatures across the country have been active this spring debating ambitious new targets and renewable energy market reforms, following the successful passage of multiple renewable energy mandates in certain states.  Last year California passed SB 100, which sets the target of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.  At least other three states—Hawaii, New Mexico, and … Continue Reading

Interconnection Modernization Underway in Minnesota

By Sarah Johnson Phillips and Riley Conlin on Posted in Distributed Generation, Energy Policy, Minnesota, Regulation
In a recent order from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”), Minnesota took a big step to update the state’s interconnection process and standard interconnection agreement for distributed energy resources or “DERs.” This ongoing process relates to Minn. Stat. § 216B.1611 which directs the Commission to establish generic standards for utilities’ tariffs that govern … Continue Reading

STAYING LOCAL: FEDERAL COURT AFFIRMS CONSTITUTIONALITY OF MINN. STAT. § 216B.246 AND ADOPTS SUPREME COURT TRACY RULE

By Andrew Moratzka and Riley Conlin on Posted in Litigation, Minnesota, Regulation, Siting, Transmission
On June 21, 2018, the United States District Court, District of Minnesota issued an order and memorandum rejecting a challenge to the constitutionality of Minn. Stat. § 216B.246 and granting defendants’ motions to dismiss. The statute, which was enacted after FERC Order 1000 (and eliminating the federal right of first refusal or “ROFR”), provides incumbent … Continue Reading

MINNESOTA PAVES THE WAY FOR MORE EV TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS

By Andrew Moratzka and Riley Conlin on Posted in Cleantech, Climate Change, Energy Policy, Minnesota, Regulation
On May 9, 2018 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission issued an order approving Xcel Energy’s residential electric vehicle (“EV”) pilot program (the “Pilot”), designed as an alternative to Xcel’s existing EV tariff, concluding that the Pilot will “benefit all ratepayers by aiding Xcel in its efforts to integrate EV load as cost-effectively as possible.” A … Continue Reading
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