John F. Povilaitis

John F. Povilaitis has built his career around the dynamic world of energy and public utilities, with experience that spans from guiding clients through complex transactions to litigating before administrative agencies and courts.  He brings extensive experience across the gas, electric, and renewable power sectors, in front of and behind the meter, offering clients a strategic ability to navigate their projects within broader energy and utility frameworks. His work spans traditional power and emerging technologies—including renewable generation, storage, and advanced grid solutions—along with deep knowledge of public utilities and their regulatory environments. This rare blend of legal, technical, commercial, and regulatory expertise enables John to guide power generators, developers, and operators through complex project development, compliance, and operational challenges.

Whether advising companies on proactive strategies or defending appellate matters before courts, John’s expertise covers a broad spectrum. He’s been involved in projects of all sizes, from small to large utility projects, to renewable interconnections and generation unit issues. Clients value his ability to bridge the gap between onsite energy strategy and utility-scale requirements, delivering practical, informed solutions that optimize performance and support long-term success.

With nearly 20 years of service for the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PaPUC), John has significant regulatory experience in electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater, transportation, renewables and communications law. After joining the Commission in 1978, he served as assistant counsel, federal division deputy chief counsel and first deputy chief counsel before assuming the position of chief counsel in 1989. John served as the Commission's counsel in the litigation that established the Pike County Doctrine and the implementation of the electric industry’s restructuring in Pennsylvania.

In 1998, he joined Ryan, Russell, Ogden & Seltzer PC, a Central Pennsylvania-based law firm that primarily handled various public utility matters. John concentrated his practice on state and federal regulatory proceedings, legislative activities, litigation before state and federal courts, facilities siting proceedings, land use and eminent domain matters and complex commercial transactions.

Previously, John served as chairperson of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Public Utility Law Section and as editor of the Section newsletter.

Since 1990, he has been a course planner and speaker at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's biannual Public Utility Law Conference and more recently he has served as a course planner for the biannual PaPUC Bench Bar Conference.

John has recently represented and counseled:

•    A major Pennsylvania water and wastewater public utility in its PaPUC application proceedings and before the Commonwealth Court and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
•    Multiple Transportation Network Companies in PaPUC complaint proceedings and PaPUC Public Utility Code jurisdictional issues.
•    Paratransit carriers and other common carriers before the PaPUC.
•    Clients seeking PaPUC authority to operate and site facilities as public utilities in Pennsylvania.
•    Developers of and lenders to Pennsylvania wind and solar projects.
•    Hospitals, colleges, hotels and various manufacturers in the development of Combined Heat and Power projects.
•    Telecommunications carriers in mergers and other regulatory proceedings.

He also has experience:

•    Representing major Pennsylvania electric distribution companies in general rate increase proceedings and in their smart meter and energy efficiency and conservation regulatory proceedings.
•    Advising numerous clients on Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission jurisdiction and public utility status.
•    Assisting transmission utility clients on siting transmission facilities in Pennsylvania.  
•    Negotiating PPAs (purchased power agreements) and energy services contracts.
•    Assisting competitive telecommunications companies, and gas and electric suppliers in obtaining state licenses and related certifications.
•    Representing parties in utility merger regulatory proceedings.
•    Representing intervenor parties in major retail utility rate proceedings.
•    Representing developers of major wind and solar projects and gas-fired power plants in several states.
•    Assisting clients in the development and financing of major Pennsylvania wind, solar and other renewable power generation projects.
•    Providing guidance on local regulatory requirements for co-location, interconnection, and net metering pertaining to solar electric generation projects.
•    Assisting in navigating regulatory, environmental, land use, and zoning issues essential to developing generation assets serving large electricity loads in Pennsylvania.
•    Advising on net metering in Pennsylvania, including its background, current status, recent legal decisions, and any restrictions affecting its availability.
•    Advising clients on issues relating to connecting large load data centers to the grid.
•    Providing guidance on interconnection and site control issues for the development of solar projects in Pennsylvania.

John is the co-host, along with Firm colleague Alan Seltzer, of Buchanan’s alternative energy podcast, Alternative Power Plays, which explores the latest trends and innovations in energy.  Recent podcasts have included a primer on hydrogen energy, new innovative G2 Power’s carbon free technologies and the impact of the midterm elections on energy policy.

John has been consecutively selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America^® list since 2017 under the categories of Communications Law and Energy Law; and since 2023 in the Utility Law category. In 2017 and 2022, he was selected as The Best Lawyers in America® Energy Law “Lawyer of the Year" in Harrisburg.