Profile
Doreen U. Saia, Chair of the Albany office Energy & Natural Resources Practice, has a wide-ranging energy law practice focused on the representation of national and international corporations that own and operate electric generating facilities and engage in financial transactions trading electricity products. She has been actively involved in state and federal regulatory proceedings concerning the deregulation of electricity markets throughout the Northeast, the siting of new generating facilities and cost-of-service ratemaking. Doreen was instrumental in developing the structure of the New York Independent System Operator, the independent administrator of the New York wholesale electric markets, and continues to play a pivotal role in the ongoing development of the competitive wholesale market in New York. She has also been engaged in the development of the competitive markets in New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, including efforts to design pay for performance mechanisms to address market power mitigation considerations and to address the accommodation of State public policy issues.
Concentrations
- Energy law
- Governmental affairs
- Environmental law
- Commercial law
Capabilities
Experience
- Participated in the development of the structure of market design and rules applicable to the New York Independent System Operator, Inc. (the administrator of the competitive wholesale electricity market in New York State). Played a pivotal role in developing the structure for the resource adequacy market in New York, which is now serving as a template for resource adequacy markets nationwide, and in developing a comprehensive set of market power mitigation rules for southeastern New York, including New York City. Instrumental in the development of a new capacity zone in New York and actively participated in the development of all aspects of NYISO's comprehensive planning processes.
- Represented a merchant generator concerning the development of PJM's pay for performance mechanism and a utility addressing PJM’s market power mitigation rules.
- Represented a nuclear generator to address public policy issues in New York's Clean Energy Standard proceeding and related issues.
- Represented entities to address State public policy issues.
- Provided regulatory counsel with respect to settlement agreement executed by New York State to retire nuclear generating facilities in Southeast New York.
- Represented multiple merchant generators to address NYISO retirement requirements.
- Provided advice on interaction among NYISO planning processes, NYISO interconnection rules and specific requirements of public policy planning requirements.
- Represented multiple entities seeking New York Public Service Law Section 70 authorizations concerning the transfer of facilities and membership interests.
- Represented renewable generator to address NYISO, NYPSC and NYSERDA considerations.
- Developed the Article X siting application for a 1,000 MW, natural gas-fired, combined cycle, electric generating facility in Queens, New York and negotiated the stipulations for the project.
- Developed two clean coal project proposals and completed contract review in response to the New York Power Authority's solicitation in its Advanced Clean Coal Initiative.
- Provided counsel to a merchant generating company in developing its bid in response to the solicitation of National Grid concerning the sale of its fleet of New York City generating facilities.
- Represented a coalition of merchant generating companies concerning the development of a regional transmission organization in New England.
- Represented a merchant generating company before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in proceedings concerning the proposed merger of the New York and New England competitive wholesale electric markets.
- Represented merchant generating companies in proceedings before the New York Public Service Commission concerning generic competitive market issues, utility specific electric rate cases, and New York Public Service Law Section 70 merger and sale proceedings.
- Represented a coalition of merchant generating companies concerning the development of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Final Model Rule and the New York State specific regulations.
- Actively participated in the generic and utility-specific rate and restructuring proceedings before the New York Public Service Commission involving the deregulation of the electric industry in New York State.
°Some of the above representations were handled by Ms. Saia prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Selected, City & State, "Trailblazers in Law," 2024
- Selected, City & State, "Energy & Environment Power 100," 2022-2023
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2023-2024
- Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation), 2023-2024
- Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market, 2023-2024
- Listed, Chambers Global, Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation), 2022-2024
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2010-2025
- Energy Law, 2010-2025
- Energy Regulatory Law, 2022-2025
- "Lawyer of the Year," Energy Law, Albany, 2014,2018, 2020, and 2023
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2020-2023
- Energy Regulation: Electric Power, 2023
- Energy Regulation: Conventional Power, 2020-2022
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide
- Nationwide - Energy: Electricity (Regulatory & Litigation), 2021-2022
- New York - Energy: State Regulatory & Wholesale Electric Market, 2008-2022
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Upstate New York Super Lawyers, 2008-2021
- Listed, Capital Region Living, "Best Lawyers in the Capital Region," 2018
- Team Member, Best Lawyers in America®"Top Listed – Government Relations," 2018
- Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers®"Government Relations Law Firm of the Year," 2014
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Federal Energy Bar Association
- Member, New York State Bar Association
- Past President, Northeast Chapter of the Federal Energy Bar Association
Credentials
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, Washington and Lee University School of Law, 1993
- B.A., Williams College, 1988
Admissions
- New York