Bryce R. Beard

Overview

Bryce focuses his practice predominately on administrative litigation before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PUC”) representing utilities including natural gas distribution, telecommunication, electric and natural gas suppliers, water and wastewater, and transportation. Bryce represents utilities in multi-party litigated proceedings, regulatory enforcement actions, and other administrative and civil proceedings that impact utilities.

Through his practice, Bryce assists clients in major rate case proceedings, has achieved significant settlements in regulatory enforcement actions, advises utilities in merger and acquisition proceedings, and has gained extensive working knowledge of all facets of administrative practice before the PUC to provide clients advice and assistance in navigating regulatory issues. Bryce also has significant experience in civil litigation on behalf of utilities as well as representing utilities in appellate courts.

Bryce is currently the Chairman of the Public Utility Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and actively advances the Law Section’s goals, programs, and membership.

Representative Matters

Energy 

• Assists in the representation of the nation’s largest municipally owned natural gas distribution company in regulatory litigation and other matters including base rate cases, major consumer complaint cases, and regulatory enforcement proceedings;
• Assists in the representation of electric and natural gas suppliers in licensing and regulatory issues, consumer complaints, and regulatory enforcement proceedings;
• Assists in advising and provides regulatory support for distributed energy projects including solar;

Utilities 

• Assists in the representation of water and wastewater utilities and authorities in service territory disputes with other regulated utilities;
• Assists in the representation of Pennsylvania’s largest PUC regulated water/wastewater/stormwater authority in consumer complaints and rate proceedings before the PUC;
• Represents utilities and municipalities in railway crossing matters before the PUC; 

Telecommunications 

• Represents Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers in mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and matters under the federal law and FCC regulations;
• Represents pole owners and attachers in contractual matters and in disputes before the PAPUC’s Rapid Broadband Assessment Team (“RBAT”).