Balancing reliability, affordability, and decarbonization is the central challenge facing the energy sector, where the legal landscape is defined by rapid transformation and regulatory complexity, says Vincent Light, Sr. Legal Counsel, Regulatory, at TransAlta.
Light’s first exposure to regulatory work came before law school, during a stint at Suncor. “That was really my first taste of it. That's what tuned me into the idea that this was a practice area at all,” he says.
That early experience set the direction for his career. “It really drove what I wanted to do,” he says. After law school, Light articled at Regulatory Law Chambers, a boutique energy firm where he found the depth of experience at a smaller shop invaluable. He worked on files before the Alberta Energy Regulator (which oversees energy resource development) and the Alberta Utilities Commission (which regulates utilities), as well as the National Energy Board - now the Canada Energy Regulator.
The move to private practice at Stikeman Elliott brought new opportunities, but the pull of specialization remained strong. “There were some interesting opportunities at Stikeman Elliott that I pursued, and it was ultimately extremely rewarding. It really cemented for me that I wanted to pursue more of a specialization in electricity, specifically in the area of utilities law,” he says.
The decision to move in-house at TransAlta came during the pandemic, a period that forced many to reconsider their careers. Light explains, “Part of what motivated it was [that] throughout my career in private practice, it wasn't very often that you got to see something through from start to finish… That's a little bit less transactional than you might see in private practice.”
TransAlta’s lower-carbon transition made the move even more compelling. “They were transitioning away from baseload coal and mining, and shifting more towards renewables and novel technologies like energy storage,” he says.
Light’s role has evolved, with greater responsibility and more involvement at the strategic front end. “It's still working on a lot of the files, but it reflects a growing portfolio of responsibility … There's a lot more involvement at the front end on a strategic level,” he says.
The work is broad, covering litigation, regulatory filings, and compliance. “There was a bit of an appetite, or at least a willingness to let me run with a few of the litigation files, at least in the area that I had specialized in. I think that's a fantastic way that in-house counsel can demonstrate value and drive some cost savings as well,” he says. “But for the most part, I'd say the majority of my work continues to be in front of a lot of the regulators,” he says.
As data centres proliferate and decarbonization accelerates, the regulatory landscape grows more volatile. “One of the biggest challenges right now, and what makes the electricity industry so compelling from a legal angle, is just how much change is facing us,” he says. For companies, this means legal teams must anticipate not only compliance risks but also strategic opportunities as markets and market rules evolve.
Light’s work with the Alberta Utilities Commission focuses on permitting, compliance, and market structure. He is managing and obtaining permits and licenses for substations, power lines and power plants, and collaborating with the compliance team. “Currently, there is a lot of change. I can't emphasize enough how much of a constant that is,” he says.
The ESG agenda is never far from the surface either, as investors and regulators increasingly demand measurable progress and accountability on sustainability. “We've got our own emissions targets that we've communicated to investors, and we're doing everything we can to deliver on those commitments for investors,” Light says. “It's going to take some creativity as a society to meet all of these targets, and it's a really interesting challenge to be able to find ways to help make that happen,” he says.
With regulatory and ESG pressures mounting, legal teams must rely on external partners who can manage the sector’s complexity. When it comes to working with external counsel, Light is clear on what matters. “It's experience, it's expertise…. We always try and find the best tool for the job,” he says. “Typically, when we're collaborating with external counsel, we like to get involved, we like to get our hands dirty as well. We do like to get really engaged on the file,” he says.
For lawyers considering an in-house move, Light’s advice is blunt: “One thing I've discovered in-house, more so than anything else, is really that the practical and the pragmatic will often carry the day. It's not just about the legally correct solution. It's about finding what the business wants to do, because ultimately, TransAlta is in the business of generating megawatts, not litigation. So, I have to keep that top of mind as I'm working through my day-to-day,” he says.
In the current regulatory climate, that pragmatic mindset is becoming a prerequisite for legal teams across the energy sector.