About Attorney K.C. Cunilio
K.C. Cunilio is a Colorado-licensed attorney based in Nederland, Colorado. Her practice focuses on energy regulation, public utility law, and Native American law, with an emphasis on representing governmental, nonprofit, and tribal clients.
K.C. represents clients before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in proceedings involving electric resource planning, utility rate cases, transportation electrification, energy efficiency, transmission, CPCNs, and Commission rulemakings. She has also worked on matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission related to hydropower development and transmission policy.
K.C. began her legal career clerking for state court judges in Colorado’s 20th Judicial District in Boulder County, where she has lived since attending the University of Colorado Boulder. She earned her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2017 and subsequently practiced at a litigation firm, developing experience in civil litigation and administrative proceedings before focusing her practice exclusively on energy and regulatory matters.
K.C. has worked with Native American tribal governments on renewable energy development, regulatory advocacy, and broadband implementation initiatives, including ongoing work with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Her experience with tribal clients began during law school, when she worked with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Native American Rights Fund, and participated in multiple service trips through the University of Denver’s Tribal Wills Project, assisting tribal members with wills and burial instructions across the West. She has also volunteered with the Denver Indian Center through Metro Volunteer Lawyers’ monthly legal clinic, providing legal assistance to community members.
Experience involving utilities including Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado), Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Black Hills Energy, Atmos Energy, and Colorado Natural Gas.
K.C.'s Representative Matters
- Represents clients in a broad range of Colorado Public Utilities Commission proceedings since 2019, including electric resource plans, rate cases, transportation electrification plans, distributed energy matters, and Commission rulemakings.
- Participated in the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association 2023 Electric Resource Plan proceeding, contributing to a negotiated settlement that secured approximately $73 million in tax revenue, economic development funding, and water rights for local government clients.
- Participated in the Xcel Energy’s Just Transition Solicitation, contributing to outcomes that secured community assistance funding and tax revenue benefits for local government clients.
- Represent governmental and nonprofit clients in Colorado Public Utilities Commission electric resource planning proceedings, including development and negotiation of settlement agreements addressing generation portfolios, cost recovery, and community impacts.
- Represent nonprofit clients in electric and gas utility rate cases before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, addressing issues of revenue requirement, cost allocation, and rate design.
- Participate in multi-party settlement negotiations in contested administrative proceedings involving utilities such as Xcel Energy, Tri-State, Black Hills Energy, Atmos Energy, and Colorado Natural Gas.
- Advocate for client interests in transportation electrification, energy efficiency, and demand-side management proceedings, including program design, funding allocation, and implementation.
- Represent various clients in Commission rulemakings and policy proceedings.
- Represent various clients in transmission and infrastructure proceedings, including certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) applications.
- Advise a tribal client in the development of a utility-scale pumped storage hydropower project, including engagement with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) processes and regulatory requirements.
- Draft and submit comments on behalf of tribal interests in FERC rulemaking proceedings, including interconnection policy and transmission access issues affecting tribal energy development.
- Advocate for tribal interests in state regulatory proceedings, including rulemaking related to consultation policies and protection of culturally significant sites.
- Represent clients in administrative litigation and contested proceedings before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.
- Advise clients on broadband implementation and infrastructure development initiatives, including coordination with regulatory and funding frameworks.
- Provided pro bono representation to a municipal utility customer in a contested disconnection hearing, addressing service termination and applicable customer protections.
PRACTICE AREAS
K.C.’s legal practice focuses on energy regulation, utility planning, and infrastructure development
- Energy Transition & Resource Planning
- Public Utility Regulation (Colorado PUC Proceedings)
- Electric Resource Planning & Rate Cases
- Transportation Electrification & Demand-Side Programs
- Tribal Energy Development & Regulatory Advocacy
- Federal Energy Regulation (FERC) & Hydropower Regulatory Matters
- Transmission, CPCNs & Infrastructure Development
- Broadband & Rural Infrastructure Implementation
Professional Affiliations
Colorado Bar Association
Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Boulder Chapter Representative
Boulder County Bar Association
Colorado W.O.L.F. (Women Owned Law Firms)
