In our Energy, Infrastructure & Telecommunications practice group, we offer tailor-made solutions for all players in the energy industry. Whether you are an energy supplier, infrastructure or network operator, service provider or energy consumer, we provide comprehensive support in all regulatory and legal issues relating to energy supply.

Practice-oriented advice

Our legal advice is strongly practice-oriented, both in and out of court. With our in-house experience, we develop optimal solutions tailored to the specific needs of our clients. We are your point of contact from the initial idea to implementation and have broad expertise across the entire value chain of the energy industry, including contract drafting, negotiation, and risk assessment. We find practical solutions that take different perspectives into account. Our team of experienced lawyers advises you in out-of-court negotiations, arbitration or mediation, in court, and before regulatory authorities. We also assist in the role of mediator.

At a time when energy supply is constantly changing due to new laws and socio-economic changes, we provide support through individual consultations, in-house workshops, and our numerous client seminars.

International network

Thanks to our international network Multilaw, we are able to provide comprehensive support to companies in almost all jurisdictions. Upon request, Schalast coordinates the entire consultation process so that you always have a single point of contact.

Focus areas of the practice group

Energy

We advise companies in the energy industry holistically and entrepreneurially, taking into account the interfaces between market players.

Municipal utilities play a special role in our client base. From tight regulation to the need to develop innovative solutions to the growing expectations of your customers—we are very familiar with this area of tension. Our goal is to support you as a strategic partner who develops agile, sustainable, and customized solutions.

Key areas of expertise

We advise you in the following areas:

• Regulatory advice: Network, storage, and infrastructure access, grid connection issues, investment or decommissioning decisions
• Mergers, cooperations, and make-or-buy decisions
• Legal implementation of the expansion of renewable energies, integration of e-mobility, synergistic development of hydrogen infrastructure and power-to-gas plants
• Drafting and negotiating purchase, supply, and service agreements in the context of legislative changes, market practices, and product trends
• Traditional supply concepts, contracting models, integrated property supply
• Market processes: Advice on unbundling requirements, access rights, and the rollout of smart metering infrastructure and connection of other media
• Product and contract design: Comprehensive support for energy sales, including contract templates and the design of direct marketing, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and self-supply concepts
• Support in preparing price adjustments and new product approaches, enforcing regulatory claims, and providing assistance in complaint proceedings and disputes with end customers
• Legal processing of claims for damages due to market process errors and breaches of duty

• Juristische Aufarbeitung von Schadensfällen aufgrund marktprozessualer Fehler und Pflichtverstöße

Heat & district development and decentralized energy concepts

We offer heat suppliers comprehensive advice on all legal aspects of their activities and support them in adapting to the legal framework in the context of decarbonization of the heating sector.

Key areas

We advise you on the following areas:

• Neighborhood and district design in heat planning
• Securing heat supply concepts from a municipal and supplier perspective in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements from WPG, GEG, AVBFernwärmeV, etc.
• Design and review of heat supply contracts
• Contracting solutions for decentralized supply
• Integration of renewable energies into supply concepts
• Statutes on connection and usage obligations and alternatives under planning law
• Updating of price adjustment clauses
• Support in the event of objections and disputes regarding effective price changes

Data centers & industry consulting

Data centers & industry consulting

Together with colleagues from other practice groups, we advise data center operators and other companies in the role of end consumers in all areas relevant to their operations. In particular, we evaluate regulatory aspects, such as the classification of infrastructure as customer facilities or distribution networks, as well as the distribution of energy in areas, with practical relevance and risk awareness.

Key areas

We advise you on the following areas:

• Negotiation of grid connection and connection usage agreements, regulatory classification of infrastructure and market roles in area supply
• Energy procurement, contract review and negotiation
• Allocation and ancillary cost optimization
• Special forms of energy cost relief
• Support with replacement supply and emergency supply at higher voltage or pressure levels and liability issues in the event of failures
• Special features of area supply with renewable energies

Transactions

Our law firm has a long tradition of providing support in transaction proceedings. Energy law aspects often play a role in this. We provide support for transactions in the context of energy supply in cooperation with our colleagues from the M&A practice group.

Telecommunication

We are also happy to advise you in the field of telecommunications and support you in legal issues relating to contracts, regulations, and disputes. Our experienced team is at your side to develop tailor-made solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of your company.

Key areas

We advise you on the following areas:

• Support in regulatory issues
• Representation before the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA)
• Drafting of model contracts and general terms and conditions
• Legal representation
• Negotiations with other market participants
• Negotiations with the housing industry
• Support in tenders in the area of broadband expansion
• Conducting regulatory compliance audits
• Support for innovative product launches

Real estate

Together with our colleagues from the Real Estate practice group, we also support players in the real estate industry in energy-related issues in order to master the challenges of the energy and heating transition.

Key areas

We advise you on the following areas:

• Implementation of the requirements of the GEG, among others
• Negotiation of contracting and area supply concepts
• Support in reviewing and negotiating heat supply contracts
• Tenant electricity models, self-supply with renewable energies, and metering concepts
• Charging solutions and storage integration
• Cooperation models with the energy industry
• Compliance with regulatory requirements in customer installations and distribution networks