Biography

Dan Collins is Of Counsel with the firm's Energy & Telecommunications Practice Group, practicing from our Boston office. As the former Director of Government Affairs for the New England Power Generators Association (NEPGA) and Chief Operating Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU), his clients benefit from his extensive career immersed in the regulation of electric power, natural gas, and water companies. Dan advises clients seeking regulatory outcomes that will improve service quality; ensure consumer protections; create a more resilient and modern grid; and enhance safety and reliability of investor-owned utilities, transportation network companies, and natural gas pipelines. He works closely with developers, consumers, and industry associations to develop regional energy solutions.

In his role as Director of Government Affairs for NEPGA, Dan represented a diverse group of electric-generating companies that compete in the region’s wholesale electricity market, advocating before legislative committees, public utilities commissions, state energy agencies, and other entities through written and in-person testimony, comments, and lobbying activities. He designed and executed legislative strategies to support the membership’s policy priorities and commercial interests and advised the president and members on pending or proposed energy and environmental legislation, regulations, and policy developments. He also represented NEPGA on the Northeast Energy and Commerce Association’s (NECA) Board of Directors and served as a co-chair of the Legislative Committee.

As COO of the DPU, Dan oversaw the Department’s fiscal, information technology, and personnel functions. He led the Division of Regional and Federal Affairs, the group responsible for monitoring and analyzing activity in the region’s wholesale electricity markets and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdictional matters, advising the Commission and secretariat on regional energy issues and policies, and recommending actions that aligned with the Commonwealth’s priorities. He also developed and maintained positive working relationships with energy stakeholders, including IS0 New England, New England Power Pool (NEPOOL), New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners (NECPUC), and officials from all the New England states.

Prior to his role at the DPU, Dan was a Government Study Committee member for the Town of Norwell, Senior Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and legal counsel in the Office of Senator Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr.

At Preti Flaherty, Dan serves in dual roles as Of Counsel in the Energy Practice Group and as Policy Advisor with the firm's affiliated public affairs firm, Preti Strategies. ​​He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Dan lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • At Large Member, Town of Norwell Complete Streets Committee

Firm Highlights

Press Coverage

Authorities Refuse to Release Records for Maine School Shooter Hoax Calls

On November 15, 2022, multiple law enforcement agencies in Maine received false calls alerting police to active shooter situations at several high schools throughout the state. In the wake of this widespread hoax, the Kennebec...

News

Attorney Jeffrey Thaler Named to 2023 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Energy Law

For the second time, Preti Flaherty attorney Jeffrey Thaler has been recognized by the esteemed legal publication Lawdragon as an elite practitioner in the field of energy law. Jeff is the only Maine-base lawyer...

Publication

FY2024 H-1B Registration Fact Sheet for Employers

Registration Process To file H-1B petitions subject to the FY2024 cap for an employee, you must first electronically register and pay a $10 fee for each electronic registration. The electronic registration includes basic information about...

News

Maine Lawyers and Judges Once Again Show Overwhelming Support of Campaign for Justice

2022 proved to be another challenging year for Mainers. Skyrocketing inflation, an uncertain economic future, an ongoing housing crisis and more factors continue to push more at-risk individuals into a tight spot. Maine’s civil...

Event

Jeff Talbert to Moderate Panel on PFAS Regulatory Action at ABA Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference

Jeff Talbert, Chair of Preti Flaherty's Environmental Law Group, will moderate "Regulatory Action: History & Horizon" at the ABA Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference. This panel will discuss the 2016 EPA health advisory, the...

News

Benchmark Litigation Names Preti Flaherty 2023 “Maine Firm of the Year”

Benchmark Litigation has named Preti Flaherty as 2023 Litigation Firm of the Year in the State of Maine. The Benchmark Awards honor distinguished litigators and law firms in all 50 states and 10 practice...

Event

Bodie Colwell will be a Featured Panelist at ABI Annual Spring Meeting

Bodie Colwell will be a featured panelist on "Danger Ahead! Avoiding and Addressing Ethical Landmines in Attorney Engagement and Compensation" at the American Bankruptcy Institute's Annual Spring Meeting. The panel focuses on disputes regarding engagement...

Publication

Enforcers Make It Easy to Report Cartels

This article was originally published in the American Bar Association  Antitrust Newsletter  on February 8, 2023.  Did you know that global competition enforcers have easy-to-find websites to encourage reporting of anticompetitive conduct? Not only...

Publication

Maine Workers’ Compensation New Year Update 2023

The new year brings proposed legislation, an update to the Medical Fee Schedule, and two recent decisions from the Appellate Division. Proposed Legislation Workers’ compensation bill LD 53 (HP 28) would amend 39-A M.R.S.A...

Press Coverage

What’s Inside Maine Freight Trains? Public Can Only Hazard a Guess

Due to an exemption from the state's Freedom of Access Act, Maine residents are prevented from reviewing information regarding the transportation through their communities via freight trains of potentially hazardous materials. Rail industry officials...