|
Mike Richmond
Partner
Toronto
|
|
Tel :
|
416.865.7832
|
|
Fax :
|
416.865.7048
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Experience
Mike Richmond is a lawyer in our Energy Law Group with a focus on electricity, renewables and utilities. Mike provides corporate, regulatory and financing advice to developers, investors and lenders of power projects, including renewable energy projects, district energy systems, co-generation facilities and demand-side management programs. Mike has acted on the incorporation, sale and amalgamation of electricity distribution companies, and on renewable energy projects in respect of project acquisitions, site and rooftop leases, EPC contracts, equipment purchases and warranties, connection agreements and disputes, government procurement applications and dispositions. He has worked on the development and sale of gas storage facilities, and provided substantial advice in relation to power purchase and gas purchase agreements, including NUG, RESOP, FIT and electricity retail contracts. Mike has represented numerous clients in the distribution, metering, generation and municipal sectors with respect to the development and promotion of public policy positions, and advised the Ontario Power Authority in the development of Ontario's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.
From 2001 to 2002, Mike served as Senior Energy Policy Advisor to Ontario's Minister of Energy, responsible for overseeing the restructuring of Ontario's electricity markets. This included the drafting of legislation and regulations relating to the introduction of a competitive market, overseeing a public awareness and consumer education campaign, briefing Cabinet Ministers, liaising with OPG, Hydro One, the IESO and the OEB, and advising the Minister on all matters ranging from the disposition of Hydro One and OPG, to the creation of an emission trading framework, to the selection of a market opening date. In addition, as acting press secretary, Mike was the primary media contact for the Government of Ontario on the issue of electricity restructuring and conducted interviews for publications and broadcast stations from across Canada and the US.
Mike also regularly advises clients with respect to lobbying strategy and compliance with federal and provincial lobbyists registration requirements.
Directorships:
- Former Director of Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
- Former Director of Tribute Resources Inc.
- Former Director of Toronto Hydro Corporation
- Former Director of Ontario Energy Association
- Former Officer of Bullfrog Power Inc.
Representative Transactions
- Advised on financings of independent power plants
- Advised on OEB license applications and amendments
- Advised on Force Majeure disputes with provincial utilities and agencies
- Advised on the sale of a wind project to the Korean Consortium
- Counsel to various purchasers of wind projects, solar projects and development assets
- Negotiated power purchase agreements with provincial utilities on behalf of wind developers
- Negotiated ancillary service contracts with Independent Electricity System Operator
- Negotiated energy supply agreements and site service contracts with respect to utilities
- Negotiated pipeline easement agreements
- Advised participants in the OPA's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program
- Provided advice and risk assessments with respect to OPA Feed-In Tariff process, rules and contract
- Advised energy retailers in connection with the drafting of standard form retail contracts for power and RECs
- Negotiated PPA Term Sheets with OEFC on behalf of non-utility generators
- Provided regulatory advice and negotiated terms of interconnection arrangements for distributed generation facilities
- Provided regulatory advice with respect to environmental approval requirements for energy projects, including Renewable Energy Approvals
- Acted in the start-up of a green power retail company
- Provided regulatory advice to a district energy system
- Provided regulatory and licensing advice to a self-generating non-utility generator
- Provided advice on Debt Retirement Charge application and exemptions
- Advised a co-generation plant with respect to Steam Sale Agreements
- Advised Clean Energy Supply and Demand-Side Management bidders into Ontario RFP process
- Canadian Counsel to the purchaser of an international energy trading business
- Acted for a non-utility generator in an arbitrated dispute involving the selection of appropriate escalator indices for gas purchase agreements and power purchase agreements
- Advised energy clients in the structuring of access arrangements for the purchase, sale, lease and development of properties related to gas wells and wind farms
- Acted for a coalition of electricity distribution companies in designing revised market structures, including the introduction of Load Serving Entities, and lobbying government ministries, agencies and boards with respect to adoption of such structures and the drafting of new legislation
- Drafted standard form development and connection agreements for a local distribution company
- Negotiated and drafted Ontario model agreements for a retail demand-side management service provider
- Represented petroleum producers in negotiation with government agencies regarding electricity policy
- Acted for telecommunications clients in the negotiation and drafting of license and access agreements
- Advised numerous electricity distribution companies in connection with incorporations, sales and amalgamations pursuant to the Energy Competition Act, 1998
- Acted for municipalities in the financing, structuring and construction of water and sewage pipeline infrastructure, including the acquisition of public and private funding, land rights and permits
- Acted for the Ontario Power Authority in designing Ontario's first standard offer feed in tariff and standard form contracts for renewable energy
- Acted on the sale of gas storage facilities
- Provided licensing advice to US based participants in Canadian energy markets
- Provided regulatory advice in respect of engineering and electrical contracting services
publications and presentations
|
- energy
- electricity
- renewables
- oil & gas
- utilities
- projects
- government affairs
- Association of Power Producers of Ontario
- Canadian Solar Industries Association
- Ontario Energy Association
Called to the Ontario bar
- 2000
University of Toronto, LLB
- 1998
University of Ottawa, B.S.Sc.
- 1995
|