Becky Diffen

Becky H. Diffen is chair of the firm’s renewable energy practice. She focuses her practice on energy transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and project development in the renewable energy, energy storage, and power generation industries. She also has experience advising clients on Texas regulatory law.

Active in her community, Becky serves as President of the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation and on the board of Zilker Theatre Productions. She is also a co-chair of the Austin Chapter of Women in Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), as well as serving as chair of WRISE’s national webinar committee.

EXPERIENCE :

• Representation of a regulated utility in contracts for the installation and ongoing operations of a utility-scale battery storage system.
• Representation of a solar developer in contracts for the construction of and maintenance services for a new technology battery energy storage system to be integrated with an existing solar project.
• Representation of Duke Energy in connection with the development of a 36 MW battery storage facility located at the Notrees Wind Farm in Texas, the largest battery storage system of its kind.
• Representation of Apex Clean Energy in the sale of Dakota Range III, a 151.2 MW wind farm in Grant and Roberts counties, South Dakota, to ENGIE North America.
• Representation of Apex Clean Energy in the acquisition of 100 MW, 130 MW, and 150 MW solar projects in Virginia.
• Representation of Apex Clean Energy in the acquisition of a 130 MW wind farm in Sangamon County, IL.
• Representation of an investment bank in its sale of a utility­-scale Texas solar development and the option to sell a second solar project.
• Representation of various renewable energy developers in the negotiation of interconnection agreements in Texas.
• Representation of underwriters to Pattern Energy Group Inc. in its $382 million initial public offering of common stock.
• Representation of Quantum Utility Generation in its acquisition of gas-fired power generation development projects in Texas.
• Representation of Riverstone Holdings in the $400 million acquisition of three coal­-fired generating plants located in Maryland from a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation.

Education :

• The University of Texas School of Law, JD, with Honors, Phi Delta Phi, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Journal of Oil, Gas, & Energy Law, 2009
• Carleton College, BA, Computer Science, Political Economy, and Latin American Studies, magna cum laude, 2004

Admissions : Texas

Affiliations :

• President, Austin Public Library Friends Foundation
• Endowments Chair and Past-President, Texas Energy Law Association
• Co-Chair, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), Austin Chapter
• Planning Committee, Renewable Energy Institute, University of Texas School of Law CLE
• Fellow, Travis County Women Lawyers Foundation.