Connor Kilgallen | Energy Regulatory Attorney

Education

University of Texas School of Law

LL.M., Global Energy, International Arbitration & Environmental Law
National University of Ireland Galway

LL.M., International Human Rights Law
Dublin City University

B.A., Economics, Politics, and Law

Bar Admissions

Texas, 2020

Connor is recognized for analyzing complex regulatory issues to develop practical strategies that help clients to continue delivering reliable, high‑quality service to their customers.

What previous experiences, prior to your work at Balch, influence your practice?

Having served as an attorney advisor to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, I bring an insider’s perspective on how commissioners approach decision‑making. That experience allows me to anticipate the questions, concerns, and priorities that drive regulatory outcomes.
What legal challenges are you looking forward to tackling in the future?

I’m particularly interested in the legal issues emerging from accelerating electricity demand. Ensuring that utilities, customers, and regulators can align around reliability, affordability, and long‑term planning will be a defining challenge in the years ahead.

Select Matters

Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT)
- Rate Cases: Represented electric utilities in rate cases before the PUCT, including base rate cases, interim cost recovery riders, and other rate-related proceedings such as fuel and purchased power cost reconciliation proceedings. A recent successful outcome is a prudence determination for the entirety of a client’s invested capital of $3.9 billion in that client’s first litigated rate case before the PUCT.
- Certification: Represented electric utilities in certification proceedings before the PUCT, including certification projects for combustion turbine and combined cycle thermal facilities, solar facilities, battery energy storage projects, and new transmission lines. A recent successful outcome is PUCT approval of two highly efficient natural gas power plants representing over $2 billion in estimated generation investment.
- System Resiliency Plans: Represented electric utilities in development and approval of transmission and distribution system resiliency plans.
- Represented electric utilities at the PUCT in disputes related to assignment of responsibility for new transmission projects.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Represented wholesale nuclear generator in multi-billion dollar Federal Power Act (FPA) Section 206 complaint regarding alleged tariff violations, accounting errors, and filed-rate violations over a multi-decade period.
- Represented electric utility in a hybrid FPA Section 206 complaint and FPA Section 205 tariff amendment proceeding regarding the allocation of millions of dollars of energy production costs among a group of affiliated electric utilities.

News

Credentials

Education

University of Texas School of Law, LL.M., Global Energy, International Arbitration & Environmental Law
National University of Ireland Galway, LL.M., International Human Rights Law
Dublin City University, B.A., Economics, Politics, and Law

Bar Admissions

Texas, 2020

Professional Affiliations

Texas Bar Association
Texas Young Lawyers Association
Texas International Lawyers Society
Administrative Law Section Austin Bar Association
American Bar Association