Gwenneth O’Hara is Chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Practice Group and a member of the Firm’s Corporate Practice Group. With over 15 years of experience in the energy industry, Ms. O’Hara advises public and private entities with large infrastructure projects, and advises on all aspects of traditional energy, gas, and renewable portfolios. Ms. O’Hara counsels clients on renewable contracting and development of form RFPs and PPAs incorporating recent utility standards and regulatory changes, including CAISO market changes.  She advises clients on negotiation and drafting of interconnection, transmission, energy, gas and related contracts, including ISDA, EEI,WSPP, NAESB, GISB and custom bilateral arrangements. Ms. O’Hara also advises clients on clean energy and climate change aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act and its impact on transactions, regulatory ramifications and tax credit benefits, including ITC, PTC and the newly added credits for storage and other technologies. In addition, Ms. O’Hara represents clients at the CPUC, CAISO, FERC, CARB, and CEC. She also represents cities, counties, and state agencies as bond and disclosure counsel.

Prior to joining Buchalter, Ms. O’Hara was the founding member of a boutique energy law firm with three offices in California.

Ms. O’Hara has been recognized as one of Sacramento Magazine’s Top Lawyer in the field of Energy & Natural Resources since 2021.

Bar Admissions

• California

Education

• University of California, Berkeley
• UC Berkeley School of Law

Significant Accomplishments

• Advised on interconnection and transmission related to a state-wide infrastructure project, including regulatory, contracting, and coordination with interconnection specialists and legal counsel for utilities, participating transmission owners, balancing authorities, and other entities
• Advised an RTO on interconnection issues and creating systems to track compliance with Tariff provisions
• Primary responsibility for the administration of a $46 billion portfolio of power contracts including negotiation and amendment of contracts, administration, operations, as well as regulatory and CAISO matters
• Advised on a major utility rate case

• The Grandfathering Deadline for NEM 2.0 is Rapidly Approaching – What Does it Mean?
• CPUC Issues Net Energy Metering Proposed Decision, With Comments Due November 30
• CEC Issues Draft Report of the Lithium Valley Commission for Public Comment
• Utilities Request that the CPUC Incorporate the Inflation Reduction Act Tax Credit Changes into the Net Energy Metering Proceeding
• Inflation Reduction Act Brings Big Changes to Clean Energy Tax Incentives
• Inflation Reduction Act Incentives for Energy Sector
• Inflation Reduction Act Set to Boost Standalone Energy Storage
• CARB Releases Draft 2022 Scoping Plan Update
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 27, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: June 15, 2020
• FERC Approves CAISO Off-Peak Deliverability Status Proposal, But Without Crucial Self-Schedule Benefit
• California Public Utilities Commission Adopts New Standard Offer Contract for Qualifying Facilities
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: May 1, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 6, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: March 9, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: February 3, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: January 20, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: January 6, 2020
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: November 18, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: October 21, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: September 16, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 19, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 12, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 5, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: July 29, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: June 21, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: May 24, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 5, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: March 22, 2019
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: November 5, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: October 22, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: September 24, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: September 27, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: September 10, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: September 3, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 20, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 13, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: August 6, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: July 23, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: July 16, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: July 9, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: June 25, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: June 18, 2018
• First in Nation: California Energy Commission Adopts Standards Requiring Solar Systems for New Homes
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: May 21, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: May 7, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: May 14, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 30, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 16, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 23, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: April 9, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: March 19, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: March 12, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: March 5, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: February 26, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: February 19, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: February 5, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: January 29, 2018
• California Energy Regulatory Weekly Update: January 8, 2018