Debra D. Roby

Ms. Roby has over 15 years of electric utility experience practicing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state utility commissions, and in related court proceedings. Much of Ms. Roby’s work focuses on the generation and transmission of electric power, investment in transmission infrastructure, development of energy markets, and RTOs. Her clients include state utility commissions, individual municipal electric systems, municipal agencies, and electric generation and transmission cooperatives throughout the United States for which she provides legal advice and litigation services on a variety of energy-related issues.

Ms. Roby is active in project development, including new hydroelectric projects and other renewable resources. Much of this work involves state and federal agency interaction concerning environmental and project operations compliance, the development of project participation agreements, and power purchase and sale agreements. She is also actively engaged in matters involving compliance with reliability standards developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).

Ms. Roby is listed as a Washington D.C. Super Lawyer in the area of Energy and Natural Resources.

Admitted to Practice

• District of Columbia (2001)

Court Admission

• U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit (2001)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit (2016)

Articles

• Co-author, “In the wake of Hughes v. Talen Energy, might states turn to CHP to help meet future energy demand?,” District Energy Magazine (2016)
• Co-author, “Cybersecurity and District Energy Resilience,” District Energy Magazine (2014)

Blogs

• Co-author, “The United States Supreme Court Limited the Ability of States to Promote Generation Development,” Energy Law Times (2016)
• Co-author, “FERC Issues Final Rule Concerning Integration of Variable Energy Resources,” Energy Law Times (2012)
• Co-author, “Changes in NERC Reliability Standards FAC-008/FAC-009 will take Effect on January 1, 2013,” Energy Law Times (March 15, 2012)
• Co-author, “FERC Issues Final Rule Concerning Integration of Variable Energy Resources,” Energy Law Times (2012)

Presentations

• “NERC Reliability Standards, What They Mean for Municipal Utilities,” Kansas Municipal Utilities (2007)
• “An Introduction to EPA’s Coal Ash Rule,” APPA Legal Seminar (2015)

Energy Bar Association

National Hydropower Association

American Bar Association

• Member, Environment, Energy, and Resources Section
• Member, Hydropower Committee
• Member, Renewable Energy Committee

American Public Power Association

Michigan Municipal Electric Association

District of Columbia Bar Association

• Listed, Rising Stars, Washington D.C. Super Lawyers (2019) in the categories of Energy and Natural Resources
• Listed, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers in the category of Energy and Natural Resources (2012 – 2016, 2018)

LiveStrong Challenge, Friends Fighting Cancer (2008 – 2012)

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

• Member, Leukemia Ball Auction Committee (2007 – 2008)