Charis Mincavage

Profile

Charis is an energy attorney whose practice is focused on matters involving electricity, natural gas, water, and wastewater. Over the past two-and-a-half decades, she has developed a thorough understanding of issues faced by her clients by litigating numerous proceedings before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and negotiating various contracts related to energy procurement.

Large Commercial and Industrial Customers
Charis advises her clients on procuring competitive energy services, implementing self-generation, and contracting for alternative energy services on both a physical and financial basis. She has represented large commercial and industrial customers in proceedings before both federal and state administrative agencies as well as at the appellate level. Her representation of these groups expands to the:

• S. Supreme Court
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC)

She regularly represents several groups of ad hoc large commercial and industrial customers before the Pennsylvania PUC to protect customer interests, especially in proceedings where utilities are seeking significant rate increases.

Charis also counsels large commercial and industrial customers on an individual basis to address specific utility issues and provide guidance for contract negotiations. This representation includes negotiating complex financial agreements for new and evolving solar wind projects, contracting for physical implementation of alternative energy sources, executing district energy system contracts, and implementing cogeneration units.

She has handled contractual and litigation work for clients outside of Pennsylvania and routinely works with associations and small public utilities.

Hospitals and Educational Institutions
For hospitals, colleges, universities, school districts and nonprofit organizations, Charis has handled negotiations for electricity supply and implementation of alternative energy sources with an emphasis on solar projects.

Community Involvement
Charis has spent her career at McNees and appreciates opportunities to give back to her profession and community. She was recognized by the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg with its Tribute to Women of Excellence Award, an honor bestowed to women for their contributions to their community, both professionally and philanthropically.

She is an active mentor to early career and lateral attorneys; a member of the McNees Women’s network, which serves as a forum to build professional connections and promote business opportunities; and she works with clients through the firm’s Legal Equity Advancement Program (LEAP). She also provides free legal assistance to families in Dauphin and Lebanon Counties through the VISTA Pro Bono program and has served on the board of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. Charis also was member of Dickinson College’s President’s Commission on Environmental Sustainability.