Carlos J. Fernández-Lugo

McConnell Valdés LLC
Chair of Environmental, Energy and Land Use Practice Group


Carlos J. Fernández-Lugo is a Capital Member of McConnell Valdés LLC and Chair of its Environmental, Energy and Land Use Practice Group. He has acted as environmental counsel for lenders and equity investors in the financing of energy facilities. In addition, he has represented renewable energy developers in the negotiation of power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificate contracts, land agreements and financing related matters, as well as in the land use, environmental impact review and permitting processes related to the construction of such facilities. His energy experience includes work on coal, natural gas, wind, solar, waste to energy, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas to energy projects.

Mr. Fernández-Lugo successfully represented the largest renewable energy project to date in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean through site selection, land acquisition, negotiation of the power purchase agreement, environmental impact review, land use approval, permitting and financing. He has also represented several owners and developers of grid-scale solar photovoltaic
projects; industrial off-takers in the negotiation of power purchase agreements for multi- megawatt behind-the- meter solar photovoltaic projects; and the largest residential solar company in Puerto Rico with respect to interconnection, contractual, and regulatory issues before PREPA and the Energy Commission.

Mr. Fernández-Lugo participated in the drafting process of Acts 82 and 83 of July 19, 2010, which created the Puerto Rico renewable energy portfolio standard, and the renewable energy incentives regime, respectively. He also worked on the net metering chapter of the Energy Transformation and RELIEF Act, Act 57 of May 27, 2014.