Ingrid E. Bjorklund

Regulatory + Transactional Counsel for the Evolving Energy Sector

With more than two decades of experience spanning private practice, government service, and in-house roles, I provide strategic legal counsel to clients navigating the fast-changing energy landscape. My practice focuses on supporting independent power producers, developers, utilities, cooperatives, clean energy companies, and trade associations through regulatory processes, permitting, and commercial transactions.

At Avisen Legal, I represent energy clients before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and other state agencies and local governments. I advise on utility tariff modifications, interconnection with MISO and state utilities, project permitting, and advocate for clients facing regulatory noncompliance. I also draft and negotiate key energy contracts, including power purchase agreements (PPAs), agreements compliant with the Minnesota’s community solar garden program, and ground leases for renewable energy and storage.

A Public Sector and Policy-Informed Approach

My understanding of energy law is rooted in first-hand experience within the regulatory system. I’ve held legal and policy roles at the:

• Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
• Minnesota Department of Commerce, Energy Facility Permitting
• Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO), a regional entity of NERC
• Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings, where I served as a Contract Administrative Law Judge

I’ve also lobbied on energy policy at the Minnesota State Capitol and taught energy law as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, helping shape the next generation of energy leaders.

Outside the Office

I’m an avid nature and ethical wildlife photographer who finds inspiration in the natural world. I love to travel and am especially grateful for the time I’ve spent living and working abroad, experiences that broadened my worldview and deepened my commitment to sustainable, global-minded solutions.

Energy + Infrastructure

Routinely represent and advise clients on proceedings before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission including the following recent dockets:

• In the Matter of Advanced Energy Management Alliance’s Petition Requesting a Miscellaneous Docket to Direct Xcel Energy to Implement 400 Megawatts of Demand Response by 2023.
• In the Matter of a Commission Investigation to Identify and Develop Performance Metric and Potentially, Incentives for Xcel Energy’s Electric Utility Operations.
• In the Matter of a Commission Investigation into the Potential Role of Third-Party Aggregation of Retail Customers.
• In the Matter of Implementation of 2023 Legislative Changes to Xcel Energy Community Solar Garden Program.
• In the Matter of Northern States Power Company’s, d/b/a Xcel Energy, 2020-2034 Upper Midwest Integrated Resource Plan.
• In the Matter of the Petition for Approval of Minnesota Power’s Industrial Demand Response.
• In the Matter of Updating the Generic Standards for the Interconnection and Operation of Distributed Generation Facilities Established Under Minn. Stat. § 216B.1611
• In the Matter of Xcel Energy’s 2024-2040 Upper Midwest Integrated Resource Plan.
• In the Matter of Xcel Energy’s Community Solar Garden Program.
• In the Matter of Xcel Energy’s Competitive Resource Acquisition Process for up to 800 Megawatts of Firm Dispatchable Generation.
• In the Matter of Xcel Energy’s Petition for Approval of Load Flexibility Pilot Programs and Financial Incentive Mechanism.

Comprehensive Experience Across Clean and Conventional Energy

Past work experience encompasses:

• Transmission and distribution interconnection disputes and assessing regulatory pathways for interstate transmission development
• Distributed energy resources (DERs) development and demand response program expansion
• Wind, solar, and battery storage development
• Biofuel development
• Fossil fuel development

Real Estate + Development

• Draft and negotiate ground leases for energy projects ranging from distributed solar to utility-scale energy projects on behalf of landowners and developers.

Education

• J.D., William Mitchell College of Law. St. Paul, Minnesota.
  • William Mitchell Law Review
• M.A., Environmental Resource Policy. The George Washington University. Washington, DC.
  • University Fellow
  • Research Assistant
• B.A., International Relations. St. Catherine University. St. Paul, Minnesota.
  • Semester abroad in Cameroon (School for International Training)

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota

• Investigator, Second Judicial District Ethics Committee (2010-2013)
• Chair, Minnesota State Bar Association’s Public Utilities Law Section (2013-2014) and Council member (2010-2018)
• Supervisor, Ramsey Conservation District Board (1999-2004)

• Moderator, “Rebooting Residential Solar,” 2023 Gateway to Solar Conference, Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, Minneapolis, MN, October 9-10, 2023.
• Moderator, “Big Batteries: Progress in Utility Scale and Long Duration Storage,” 2022 Gateway to Solar Conference, Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, Minneapolis, MN, October 17-18, 2022.
• Presenter, “Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure and Guidance Documents,” Issues in Minnesota Energy and Electric Utility Regulation, Halfmoon Education, Interactive Webinar, June 4, 2021.
• Presenter, "Energy Law for Environmental Lawyers,” Energy and Environmental Law Topics Webcast Package, Minnesota CLE, September 5, 2019.
• Presenter, "Energy Law for Environmental Lawyers," 2019 Minnesota Environmental Institute, Minneapolis, MN, April 11, 2019.
• Presenter, “The Energy Storage Revolution,” 2018 Minnesota Environmental Institute, Minneapolis, MN, April 12, 2018.
• Instructor, “Energy Storage—Marketing Stranded Renewables and Providing Grid Stability,” Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo North America 2016, Orlando, FL, December 12, 2016.
• Presenter, “Securities Law Considerations for Community Solar Projects,” Summer Conference, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Brainerd, MN, August 15-17, 2016.
• Instructor, “Renewable Energy and Storage,” EUCI, Denver, CO, July 18-19, 2016.
• Presenter, “Recognizing the Value of Electric Energy Storage: A Wake-Up Call,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, January 20, 2016.
• Panelist, “Tried and True,” GenForum Conference: Power Generation Week 2015, Las Vegas, NV, December 7, 2015.
• Instructor, “Energy Storage—Marketing Stranded Renewables and Providing Grid Stability,” Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo North America 2015, Las Vegas, NV, December 6, 2015.
• Presenter, “The Intersection of Energy Law and Environmental Law,” MSBA Environmental, Natural Resources and Energy Law Section, Minneapolis, MN, June 18, 2015.
• Panelist, “Regional Reliability Audits: An Overview of the Process, Compliance and Enforcement,” Seventeenth Annual Midwest Energy Conference, Energy Bar Association, St. Louis, MO, March 10-11, 2014.
• Presenter, “PURPA Today,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, February 19, 2014.
• Panelist, “Current Challenges for Wind Energy Development,” MSBA Public Utilities Law Section, St. Paul, MN, March 16, 2011.
• Presenter, “The Future of Transmitting Wind,” 76th Annual Summer Meeting, Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association, Alexandria, MN, August 18-20, 2008.
• Panelist, “Local Ownership—Accelerating Development Capacity,” First Annual Midwest Ag Energy Network Summit, St. Paul, MN, December 12-13, 2006.

• InfraGard
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association
• Clean Energy Economy Minnesota