Rebecca Shelton

Practice Areas

Rebecca Shelton is integral to Thompson Coburn’s Energy group, advising and guiding municipal and cooperative electric utilities through complex electric transmission rate proceedings and disputes before FERC, as well as advising on other regulatory matters.

Rebecca guides clients through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulatory landscape, with a focus on electric transmission rate proceedings. She regularly negotiates and litigates on behalf of municipally owned electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives primarily located in the California Independent System Operator Corporation (CAISO) and Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regions. Drawing on her deep knowledge of FERC regulatory proceedings, Rebecca counsels her clients on cost-based rates, return on equity, formula rates, and open access transmission tariffs.

Rebecca also represents clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals regarding challenges of FERC orders, including managing the appeals process and preparing briefs.

In addition to FERC-related matters, Rebecca has monitored and advised clients regarding the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards development process and on issues related to the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA).

Before joining Thompson Coburn, Rebecca served as a law clerk in the Office of Administrative Law Judges at FERC, where she handled electric, natural gas, oil pipeline, and enforcement hearing and settlement proceedings.

Well-respected throughout the electric transmission industry, Rebecca ensures that her clients stay current on the regulations affecting them. She has written and presented on such topics as the effect of carbon pricing on utilities and developments for electric utilities under PURPA.