Mayer Brown
Global law firm; published legal analysis on FERC's RM26-4-000 large-load interconnection proceeding.
Last refreshed: 6 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Which legal questions could unravel FERC's June grid order in court?
Timeline for Mayer Brown
Provided legal analysis identifying three contested questions in the docket
Data Centres: Boom and Backlash: FERC commits to June 2026 grid-load order- What did Mayer Brown say about FERC's large-load rulemaking?
- Mayer Brown's legal analysis identified three contested issues in RM26-4-000: whether hyperscalers can bypass interconnection studies, how behind-the-meter generation is treated for cost allocation, and who pays for transmission upgrades large loads trigger.Source: Mayer Brown
- Is FERC's June 2026 grid order legally durable?
- FERC itself said it sought a ruling that was 'quick, efficient, and legally durable'. Mayer Brown's analysis flagged the cost-allocation and study-bypass questions as the most likely grounds for legal challenge.Source: Mayer Brown
- What law firm is advising on FERC's large-load grid rulemaking?
- Mayer Brown is among the law firms publishing analysis on FERC Docket RM26-4-000. Their legal commentary identified three contested issues: whether hyperscalers can bypass standard interconnection studies, how behind-the-meter generation is treated for cost allocation, and who pays for grid upgrades that large loads trigger.Source: Mayer Brown
- What is Mayer Brown known for in energy law?
- Mayer Brown is a large international law firm with a prominent energy practice covering electricity regulation, FERC proceedings, and utility transactions. It regularly publishes client briefings on regulatory changes including FERC rulemakings affecting power infrastructure.Source: Mayer Brown
Background
Mayer Brown published legal analysis of FERC's RM26-4-000 rulemaking that identified the key contested questions operators, utilities, and RTOs will face in the June 2026 order. The analysis noted that FERC moved roughly two months past the Department of Energy's preferred 30 April 2026 deadline, and laid out the three fault lines in the proceeding: whether hyperscalers can bypass standard interconnection studies; how behind-the-meter generation is treated for grid-exit cost allocation; and who bears the cost of transmission upgrades that large loads trigger.
Mayer Brown is a global law firm founded in 1881 and headquartered in Chicago, with major offices in Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Its energy and infrastructure regulatory practice is one of the most active in Washington, representing utilities, generators, and large consumers in FERC proceedings. The firm's energy group regularly files interventions and comments in FERC dockets and publishes client alerts that are widely cited in the energy and data-centre industries.
For the data-centre sector specifically, Mayer Brown's analysis of RM26-4-000 is significant because it maps the legal durability risk of the June order. FERC explicitly said it sought a ruling that was "quick, efficient, and legally durable" — language that acknowledges prior interconnection reform attempts have been challenged in the courts. Mayer Brown's work helps operators assess the risk of the order being vacated or remanded on judicial review.
