The Energy Disputes Team at Lee & Ko is widely recognized as one of Korea’s leading legal practices covering the full spectrum of the energy industry, ranging from conventional power generation such as thermal and nuclear power to renewable energy sectors including solar and wind power, as well as hydrogen, batteries, and energy storage systems (ESS).

The energy industry requires not only sophisticated technical understanding but also the ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks. Leveraging deep industry insight and extensive experience, our team provides integrated legal solutions covering the entire dispute lifecycle—from pre-dispute strategic advisory and risk management to litigation, arbitration, and regulatory proceedings—allowing clients to proactively manage business risks and achieve commercially effective outcomes.

As the global energy transition accelerates amid increasing electricity demand driven by the AI industry, the growing importance of high-efficiency power infrastructure, and increasingly stringent climate and environmental regulations, our team continues to expand its capabilities in emerging sectors. We have accumulated substantial experience in renewable energy permitting and project-right disputes, hydrogen infrastructure development, and ESS accident response and related disputes.

Our extensive litigation and arbitration experience representing public utility companies, power producers, and global energy corporations further distinguishes Lee & Ko in the market. Beyond serving as legal advisors, we act as strategic partners committed to supporting our clients’ sustainable growth and shaping the future of the energy industry together.

Expertise

Energy Regulatory and Permitting Matters

Advisory and disputes relating to the issuance and revocation of power generation business licenses
Permitting and regulatory disputes involving hydrogen refueling stations and fuel stations
Advisory and disputes relating to permits and approvals for solar, wind, biomass, and waste-to-energy facilities
Environmental and community-related disputes, including environmental impact assessments and local stakeholder complaints

Power Grid Infrastructure and Electricity Market

Litigation relating to transmission lines, substations, and implementation plans for power infrastructure projects
Regulatory disputes involving System Marginal Price (SMP) cap regulations
Disputes relating to Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) issuance and settlement

Energy Construction and Equipment Disputes

Construction payment and liquidated damages disputes involving thermal, LNG, and nuclear power plants
Litigation and arbitration involving defects in major equipment such as turbines and boilers
Advisory and disputes relating to Long-Term Service Agreements (LTSA)

Energy Safety, Environmental, and Accident Response

Advisory and disputes relating to oil depots and pipelines
Nuclear-related advisory and disputes, including matters involving nuclear testing certificates
Environmental disputes involving thermal discharge, noise, low-frequency vibration, and fisheries compensation claims arising from power plant operations

New Energy Industries and Energy Policy

Advisory relating to hydrogen power market standard agreements and Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) compliance costs
Advisory and disputes relating to ESS accidents and ESS construction subcontracting
Shareholder agreement disputes and share transfer disputes among energy companies

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Major Cases

[Power and Gas Infrastructure Disputes]

Transmission and Substation Infrastructure

Representation in administrative appeals relating to underground substations and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission expansion projects
Representation in litigation involving 765kV and 500kV transmission line construction projects
Representation in litigation challenging the denial of construction permits for substations

Gas Infrastructure

Representation in disputes involving construction payments for natural gas supply facilities and design defects in LNG storage tanks for vessels
Advisory and representation in LNG terminal defect arbitrations and disputes
Advisory and disputes relating to shareholder agreements, construction contracts, and design changes for LNG terminal SPC projects

Power Plant Construction

Representation in disputes involving liquidated damages and construction payments for thermal power plant projects
Representation in international arbitration involving turbine defects at thermal and cogeneration power plants
Representation in arbitration relating to additional construction costs for circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plants and coal storage facilities
Dispute-related advisory services for overseas nuclear power plant construction projects

[Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, and Battery Sectors]

Wind and Solar Energy

Representation in litigation involving revocation of offshore wind project licenses and withdrawal of transfer approvals
Advisory relating to wake effect disputes between wind farm projects
Advisory relating to permitting and financing disputes for wind farm repowering projects
Representation in arbitration involving wind turbine defects against turbine manufacturers
Advisory and litigation relating to delays and defects in large-scale solar power plant construction projects

Hydrogen and Future Energy

Representation in administrative disputes relating to permits for hydrogen vehicle charging stations
Advisory relating to standard agreements and settlement adjustment coefficients in the general hydrogen power market
Advisory relating to accidents involving ESS facility construction projects

[Energy Policy and Market Regulation]

Tariffs and Settlement

Representation of the relevant governmental authority in disputes concerning the SMP cap regulation
Representation of power generation companies in litigation involving progressive electricity tariff refund claims
Representation in disputes between power producers and the Korea Power Exchange concerning settlement standards

Regulatory Regimes and Contracts

Representation in claims involving penalties arising from violations of electricity supply terms and conditions
Advisory to the relevant governmental authority concerning nuclear power Contract for Difference (CfD) schemes and compensation for nuclear plant shutdown losses

[Environmental, Safety, and Resource Management Matters]

Environmental Disputes

Representation of power generation companies in fisheries compensation litigation arising from thermal discharge from power plants
Representation of power generation companies in litigation involving wind turbine noise and low-frequency vibration claims

Safety and Accident Response

Advisory and criminal defense relating to oil depot fire incidents
Advisory and disputes involving negligence and defects in pipeline installation and operation

International and Cross-Border Projects

Advisory and disputes relating to the Libya Gubba apartment development suspension project
Representation in subcontract disputes involving thermal power projects in Algeria
Advisory and disputes relating to overseas energy construction projects, including nuclear power projects in the UAE, Egypt, and the Czech Republic