Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Civic Involvement
References
Timeline
Generic

Kendrick Fentress

Raleigh,NC

Summary

General counsel, policy analyst, and legal strategist with 24 years of experience in public utility regulation, litigation, and operations. People leader leveraging a multifaceted background and a reputation as an ethical and well-prepared legal strategist and negotiator. Innovative problem-solver developing internal processes and trainings to ensure cost-effective compliance with regulations and standards. Experience working with multiple and diverse internal and external interests, such as utility subject matter experts, utility customers, legislative decision-makers, and local, state and federal agencies, to execute strategies and achieve results for regulated public utilities.

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience

Work History

DIRECTOR, REGULATORY STRATEGY AND ALIGNMENT

Duke Energy Corporation
06.2023 - Current
  • Lead external-facing and cross-jurisdictional team across Duke Energy enterprise on internal and external stakeholder engagement and regulatory initiatives, including resource planning, transmission and distribution planning, renewable energy policy and strategy, generator interconnection, and resource procurement for Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and Integrated System Operations Planning (ISOP) teams.
  • Execute strategies for engagement with key stakeholders to further regulatory objectives of IRP and ISOP teams.
  • Represent Duke Energy in external-facing roles to effectively and persuasively communicate complex, strategic positions to engage support from stakeholders and intervenor at Commission proceedings.
  • Coordinate across multiple technical and non-technical business units to satisfy competing business needs and priorities within complex, regulated business environment.
  • Establish database library of external and internal powerpoint presentations to more effectively update, harmonize, and improve upon IRP and ISOP messaging.

ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL

Duke Energy Corporation
09.2010 - 06.2023
  • Team leader on managing complex legal issues relating to regulation of Duke Energy by North Carolina Utilities Commission (Commission).
  • Spearheaded initiatives to address concerns of Commission and ratepayer advocates, identified genuine risks and costs to Duke Energy, and provided solutions to establish and implement policies and procedures while serving as legal advisor in navigating complex regulatory frameworks and business objectives.
  • Advised on clients on structuring purchase power agreements with solar, hydroelectric, animal waste-to-energy small power producers to achieve business objectives and comply with statutory and regulatory framework and precedent.
  • Developed and executed strategies annually for Duke Energy litigation team and for external stakeholder/intervenor engagement related to advancement of Duke Energy's Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) proposed rates and contract terms for third-party small power producers, resulting in advantageous and sustainable revisions to long-established PURPA policies and legislative updates to North Carolina General Statutes governing PURPA implementation.
  • Developed and executed litigation and stakeholder/intervenor negotiation strategies for cross-jurisdictional teams in annual proceedings to obtain approval and full cost recovery for demand-side management and energy efficiency portfolios and compliance with North Carolina Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Portfolio (REPS) standard.
  • Coordinated with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) team to ensure Duke Energy's FERC applications and litigation were consistent with Commission-jurisdictional regulatory oversight prior to commencing FERC proceedings.
  • Successfully defended Duke Energy in PURPA complaint litigation pertaining to terms and conditions of their purchase power agreements at Commission by third-party small power producers.
  • Led development of enterprise-wide merger condition compliance framework and training program, working with in-house FERC attorneys, compliance subject matter experts, marketing employees, and regulatory attorneys across Duke Energy.
  • Assisted clients in developing, presenting, and implementing customer programs and tariffs through both (i) interpreting statutory law and Commission precedent in support of regulatory objectives and (ii) engaging with external stakeholders to solicit express support for Duke Energy at Commission proceedings.

STAFF ATTORNEY IV

Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission
09.1999 - 08.2010
  • Led multi-division task forces composed of Public Staff accountants, engineers, and economists on all legal matters pertaining to regulation of North Carolina public utilities, including general rate cases, mergers of utilities, annual cost-recovery proceedings, IRPs, and certificates of public convenience and necessity.
  • Developed regulatory framework under which electric public utilities seek approval of and cost recovery for their demand-side management and energy efficiency programs and compliance with REPS.
  • Advocated for ratepayers before Commission and North Carolina appellate courts by presenting facts, evidence, and legal argument in most favorable and persuasive light.
  • Coordinated and facilitated work of multi-division task forces composed of Public Staff accountants, engineers, and economists in preparing for and participating in litigation and other regulatory proceedings before Commission.
  • Advised Executive Director and other Public Staff subject matter experts on matters of utility law and policy.

ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

North Carolina Department of Justice
09.1994 - 09.1999
  • Advocated for State in state and federal appellate and post-conviction review of criminal convictions and sentences by reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, researching law, and preparing responses to briefs, motions and petitions for relief.
  • Advised District Attorneys on developing law and precedent with respect to criminal statutes, legislation, and procedure.

Education

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) -

University of Richmond, TC Williams School of Law
Richmond, Virginia

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA), HISTORY -

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC

Skills

  • REGULATORY STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT & EXECUTION
  • LITIGATION STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT & EXECUTION
  • REGULATORY POLICY AND COMPLIANCE
  • CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
  • RESEARCH AND NEGOTIATIONS
  • INTERNAL AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Civic Involvement

  • CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Communities in Schools - North Carolina, 2023 to present.
  • BOARD MEMBER, Communities in Schools - North Carolina, 2014 to 2023.
  • MEMBER, BOARD OF VISITORS, Institute of the Environment, UNC at Chapel Hill, 2021 to present.

References

Available upon request

Timeline

DIRECTOR, REGULATORY STRATEGY AND ALIGNMENT

Duke Energy Corporation
06.2023 - Current

ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL

Duke Energy Corporation
09.2010 - 06.2023

STAFF ATTORNEY IV

Public Staff - North Carolina Utilities Commission
09.1999 - 08.2010

ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

North Carolina Department of Justice
09.1994 - 09.1999

JURIS DOCTOR (JD) -

University of Richmond, TC Williams School of Law

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA), HISTORY -

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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