Photo of William R. Collins

William R. Collins

William Collins is co-chair of Covington’s Energy Industry Group. He has represented energy clients on an array of project development, M&A and financing transactions. His clients have included investor-owned utilities, independent power producers, renewables companies, private equity firms, financiers, project developers, and financial advisory firms in a wide range of corporate matters and transactions.

Contact:Read more about William R. CollinsEmail

With potential liabilities in excess of $30 billion stemming from a series of deadly wildfires that ignited across Northern California in 2017 and 2018, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and its holding company PG&E Corp. (PG&E) filed for Chapter 11 relief in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday.

The filing triggers a complex, multi-forum struggle among creditors, energy providers, and many other diverse stakeholders.  The impact of the restructuring process will be far reaching, jeopardizing compensation to wildfire victims, the state’s implementation of its ambitious climate and renewable energy policies, and the ultimate future of the utility as a partner in those efforts.
Continue Reading Rising from the Ashes: How PG&E’s Bankruptcy Threatens the Energy Sector and California’s Progress on Climate Change