People

Overview

Mary Franco is an Associate in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, where she advises clients on federal and state energy regulatory matters. Mary counsels electric utilities, infrastructure developers, transmission owners, and generation companies on regulatory, litigation, and transactional matters. These matters include interconnection, transmission rate and tariff issues; regulation of regional power markets; due diligence; administrative litigation; and other related issues arising under federal and state energy and environmental laws.

Prior to joining Baker Botts, Mary served as an attorney-advisor in the Office of Administrative Law Judges at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, where she advised on contested rate proceedings involving independent power producers, pipelines, and electric utilities. While in law school, Mary served as a judicial extern at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Admissions & Affiliations

  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Massachusetts Bar
  • Energy Bar Association

Education

  • J.D., Vermont Law School 2022
    summa cum laude
    Managing Editor, Vermont Law Review
  • B.A., Government & International Studies, Franklin and Marshall College 2017
    cum laude

Experience

Interconnection & Transmission Matters

  • Counsel to a MISO electric utility in a dispute regarding rights under a grandfathered transmission agreement.
  • Counsel to an SPP electric utility seeking FERC authorization to amend its cost allocation policy.
  • Counsel to Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and southeast utilities regarding transmission-related and FERC policy issues associated with the interconnection of, and service for, large loads/data centers.
  • Counsel to a merchant transmission owner regarding the development of a NYISO Tariff Schedule governing transmission service on an HVDC transmission line.
  • Counsel to a PJM electric utility seeking the abandoned plant incentive and CWIP transmission incentive for certain 2024 RTEP Open Window projects.
  • Counsel to a MISO electric utility seeking the abandoned plant incentive and CWIP transmission incentive for certain MISO LRTP Tranche 2.1 projects.
  • Counsel to several electric utilities regarding the regulatory requirements associated with various financings.
  • Advise electric utilities regarding FERC's evolving policies addressing the methodology to establish return on equity.
  • Represent electric utility regarding FERC policy and rulemakings on transmission incentives.