Torys

Energy Regulatory

A skilled litigator with significant experience in the energy industry, Luigi (Lou) Cusano helps clients navigate complex energy regulatory frameworks across high-stakes matters and disputes, bringing decades of knowledge of Canada’s evolving electricity and oil and gas sectors.

Lou is the managing partner of the firm’s Calgary office. His practice focuses on administrative, regulatory and environmental law and commercial litigation in the energy sector.

Lou has been involved in the restructuring of Alberta’s power industry and has experience in all aspects of both the regulated and the unregulated electricity sectors, including utility rates, cost of capital, market rules, reliability standards, energy price-setting plans, transmission, distribution and generation facilities (both renewable and non-renewable), cogeneration facilities, industrial systems, merchant transmission and generation, market surveillance investigations, and disputes regarding Alberta’s legislated Power Purchase Arrangements.

In the oil and gas sector, Lou provides comprehensive regulatory advice across the spectrum of clients’ operations, including related to pipelines (greenfield, conversion and tolls and tariffs-related issues), heavy oil/oilsands development, well licensing, off-target penalties, pooling, common processors and carriers, processing facilities, public consultation, facility proliferation, environmental matters, land reclamation, emergency response and surface rights.

Lou’s significant litigation experience includes many types of contractual disputes and power and oil and gas facility-related issues. He has appeared before numerous regulatory tribunals, including the Alberta Utilities Commission, Alberta Energy Regulator, the Natural Resources Conservation Board, Alberta Environmental Appeal Board, British Columbia Utilities Commission, Canadian Energy Regulator and the Alberta Securities Commission, as well as before all levels of Alberta courts and in mediations and arbitrations.

Alberta, 1987

Lou has been an instructor in civil procedure, advocacy and trial preparation for the Law Society of Alberta Bar Admission course. He was a member of the Law Society of Alberta Civil Practice Advisory Committee and the Sub-Committee on Discovery Reform, and has lectured on behalf of the Legal Education Society of Alberta. He is also a member of the Organizing Committee for the Energy Regulatory Forum. Lou received his Queen’s Counsel designation in 2020 and was elected a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta effective February 2021.

Lou is a former member of the boards of directors of the Calgary Immigrant Aid Society, Theatre Calgary and the Glenlake Hockey Club. He was the president of the Elbow Park Minor Hockey Association and has coached minor hockey for a number of years.