Gregory Eisenstark

Member

Greg has wide-ranging experience representing public utilities, renewable energy companies, electric generation companies, educational and governmental institutions, and other industry participants. He maintains a comprehensive energy and utility regulatory and transactional practice, with significant experience in base rate cases, rate clause filings, reliability issues, public utility project siting petitions and appeals, mergers and acquisitions, New Jersey Water Infrastructure Protection Act acquisitions, renewable energy (including offshore wind  and solar generation projects), demand response and energy efficiency issues, regulatory audits, provider of last resort and competitive third-party supplier issues, and utility financing issues. He also has experience in administrative rulemaking, drafting legislation, and counseling on energy policy issues, as well as appellate experience in both state and federal courts.

Greg has litigated hundreds of utility rate and regulatory filings to successful completion. Since the early 1990s, he has handled many base rate cases involving water, wastewater, natural gas, and electric utilities.

Prior to private practice, Greg served as associate general regulatory counsel for Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), where he represented PSEG's operating companies in regulatory matters before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, other state utility commissions, and in state and federal courts. Earlier in his career, Greg was managing attorney – electric for the New Jersey Division of Ratepayer Advocate, where he represented utility customers in matters before regulatory agencies and courts. In that capacity, Greg played an active role in the transformation of the PJM Interconnection from a power pool to an independent system operator. Before that, Greg was a deputy attorney general of New Jersey, where he represented the Board of Public Utilities and Department of Environmental Protection in utility and solid waste industry matters.

Greg has been ranked by Chambers & Partners USA.

Greg earned his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College. Greg earned his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law - Newark.

Gregory is an exceptional attorney. He is very practical and works very hard with the internal team to construct solid framework for success and executes flawlessly.
Chambers USA 2023
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Experience

Representing the world's largest offshore wind developer in various proceedings before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and in New Jersey Superior Court.


Represented New Jersey Natural Gas Company in its 2019 and 2021 base rate cases, each of which resulted in a successful outcome prior to evidentiary hearings. (BPU Dkt. Nos. GR19030420 and GR21030679).


Successfully represented Jersey Central Power & Light Company in its 2023-2024 base rate case. (BPU Dkt. No. ER23030144).


Representing the world’s largest offshore wind developer in proceedings before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. 


Successfully petitioned the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for a public utility to construct an electric transmission line in New Jersey not subject to the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) -- or any other governmental ordinances or regulations, permits, or license requirements made under the authority of the MLUL. Successfully defended the BPU's decision on appeal to the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.


Served as main drafter of legislation permitting utilities to own renewable energy projects and efficiency measures and to earn a full return on the investment.


Defended, in both state and federal court, a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' decision that allowed utilities to retain ownership of renewable energy certificates for pre-existing power purchase contracts.


Achieved a reversal of a New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' decision that would have required two major utilities to bear the cost of relocation of their facilities in conjunction with a federal flood control project. As a result, the state, rather than the utilities, was required to pay for the cost of the utility relocations.


Litigated cases that resulted in the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' approval of two large-scale, high-voltage electric transmission projects.


Represented New Jersey American Water Company in a regulatory proceeding before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) by which it secured approval to acquire the Egg Harbor Township water and sewer systems. The matter was the first petition under the Water Infrastructure Protection Act, a New Jersey statute meant to incentivize the acquisition of troubled public water systems by investor-owned utilities. Following NJBPU approval, the firm assisted with financial and corporate issues in connection with the closing of the transaction.


Representing Trenton Renewable Power, LLC, with respect to transactional and regulatory issues for its biomass facility in Trenton, New Jersey. The facility includes both a large-scale digester of organic food waste products and electric generating units that use the renewable natural gas produced by the digester as fuel, and therefore is classified as a Class 1 renewable facility under New Jersey law. This representation includes assisting in the negotiation of a power sales agreement with an offtaker, providing advice and counsel on issues related to the potential sale of excess renewable natural gas, and seeking approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities of a power sales agreement for the sale of renewable energy to a regulated public utility. 


News

Cozen O’Connor Lawyers and Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2025 Guide

June 05, 2025

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 98 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2025 edition.

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

82 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 19 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2021 Guide

May 26, 2021

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 82 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2021 edition; of those, 15 lawyers have been recognized nationally.

Publications

New Jersey’s First in the Nation State Environmental Justice Law [Alert]

October 22, 2020

Amorie Hummel, Evan Preminger, Michael Connolly, and Greg Eisenstark discuss the New Jersey law that is the first in the nation to require mandatory permit denials under state law for new facilities and to expressly allow the imposition of conditions on renewal and expansion permits for existing facilities based on environmental justice concerns alone.

NJBPU Approves Year 2 Application Process for Community Solar Energy Pilot Program [Alert]

October 13, 2020

Michael Connolly and Greg Eisenstark discuss the NJBPU's Community Solar Program Year 2 application process. Applications for Year 2 community solar projects are due by February 5, 2021.

Voluntary Moratorium on New Jersey Utility Shut-offs Extended to October 15, 2020 [Alert]

September 01, 2020

Gregory Eisenstark and Michael J. Connolly discuss the voluntary moratorium on utility shut-offs for non-payment of bills that Gov. Murphy extended to October 15, 2020. The moratorium applies to electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

N.J. EO-127 Extends Contested Case, Rule Deadlines — May Impact Utilities, Other Regulated Entities [Alert]

April 20, 2020

Greg Eisenstark and Michael Connolly discuss New Jersey's executive order extending deadlines until after the public health emergency.

COVID-19 and the Utility, Energy, Telecommunications & Transportation Sectors: What [Alert]

March 24, 2020

David Zambito, Michael Klein, Michael Connolly, Gregory Eisenstark, Ira Megdal, and Jonathan Nase discuss the executive orders in New Jersey and Pennsylvania impacting the utility industry.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Renewable Energy: It Keeps Coming Back

April 27, 2023 - New Brunswick, NJ

What’s Blowing on Offshore Wind?

October 19, 2022 - Union, NJ

Practice Areas

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Rutgers University School of Law—Newark, J.D., 1991
  • Oberlin College, B.A., 1984

Awards & Honors

Chambers and Partners USA, 2021-2025
* This award is conferred by Chambers and Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- New Jersey

American Bar Association

New Jersey State Bar Association, Public Utility Law Section

New Jersey Utilities Association