The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Norway > Electricity and renewable energy

BAHR' expertise in the electricity and renewables space encompasses transactions, financing issues, litigation, competition work and regulatory mandates. Recent highlights include advising the City of Oslo on the public takeover of Hafslund and the subsequent restructuring and related sales; assisting Enbridge with its acquisition of the right to develop Havsul, an offshore wind power project; and acting for Clean Energy Group on the development of a hydro power project in Georgia. Jon Christian Thaulow leads the department, which also includes transactional electricity specialist Rune Svoren and regulatory expert Helge Olav Bugge.

With 'detailed knowledge and a highly commercial approach', Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS fields a team of 'professional and pragmatic' individuals including group head Aksel Tannum, who has 'a deep understanding of the sector and consistently seeks solutions throughout', Johan Fredrik Remmen, newly promoted partner Jøran Sandvik, infrastructure specialist Jarle W Holstrøm, litigator Håkon Bleken and renewables expert and senior lawyer Mari Reitzel Bjerke. In a recent highlight, Sandvik led advice to BlackRock on its acquisition of the Guleslettene wind farm; the team also assisted Statnett with the establishment of a new central power grid in Northern Norway, acted for Eolus Vind Norge on the development of a wind power project, and handled the establishment of an onshore wind power cluster project for Fosen Vind. Pål Martin Abell also made partner in 2019.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS' 'highly competent, effective and strategic' team 'always adds value and delivers on time' on mandates including transactions, disputes, concession work, licensing issues and environmental law with notable experience in corporate restructurings, project developments and investments in renewable energy assets. Department head Jens Naas-Bibow acted for NorthConnect on the establishment of a high-voltage direct-current interconnector between Norway and the UK, Bendik Christoffersen advised Zephyr on the development, sale and project financing of Guleslettene wind farm; Jacob F Bull led advice to Lyse Produksjon on the procurement and construction of a new hydro power plant, and Gunnar Martinsen assisted Energi Norge with the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. Managing associate Thomas Borch-Nielsen is also a name to note.

Inge Ekker Bartnes and Jon Rabben jointly lead the practice at Wiersholm, which handles issues across the full spectrum of the electricity, renewables and infrastructure sectors including regulatory matters, restructurings and project financings. Clients include Nord-Trøndelag Electrisitetsverk Holding, which Bartnes assisted with its restructuring process; Norsk Hydro, which Rabben advised on its investment in Njordr; and Statnett, which Stephan L Jervell defended in a claim relating to a tender process. The Hafslund Group and TrønderEnergi are other clients. Contract specialist Helge Morten Svarva and environmental law expert Thomas Skjelbred are also key names to note.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort stands out for its contentious expertise; it recently represented Statnett in the Supreme Court in a dispute against several Norwegian municipalities relating to the calculation of property tax for electricity grids. Recent non-contentious work includes advising Agder Energi Nett on the public procurement of its new advanced metering system, assisting Hardanger Energi with its reorganisation, and handling Gassnova's reogranisation. Kristin Bjella leads the department, which also includes transactional specialist Jørn Uggerud and the 'excellent' Morten Fjermeros.

Kvale Advokatfirma DA's recent transactional expertise includes advising aventron on its acquisition of Storøy Vindpark; assisting Statnett with NordLink, an interconnector project running between Norway and Germany; and handling Øvre Eiker Energi's sale of its hydro power production and transmission assets. The group also acts in disputes and handles regulatory work; it recently assisted Hafslund with power trading issues including European Market Infrastructure Regulation compliance. Christian Poulsson heads the group and Per Conradi Andersen is also recommended.

With 'expansive knowledge and quick response times', Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS utilises the firm's national footprint and is jointly led by Sindre Søndenå Andersen in Bergen and Sverre Bjelland in Stavanger. Other key practitioners include litigator Hallvard Gilje Aarseth and Claus Severin Mørch, who joined from the Office of the Attorney General and Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS respectively.

As a key name for hydro power matters, Advokatfirmaet Selmer AS' recent work includes advising Hydro Energi on the proposed divestment of its portfolio of hydro power plants in Røldal-Suldal. Other mandates include assisting Nord Pool with its restructuring, acting for Solvind Project on the sale of Storøy wind farm to aventron, and handling the planning and construction of a new power distribution grid in Lofoten for Lofotkraft. Roy Slettvold leads the group and Håkon Sandbekk focuses on renewable energy projects.

Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig has 'excellent knowledge across different areas of energy law' including hydro power, renewables financing work and regulatory issues with notable expertise in wind power work. Team head Peter Aall Simonsen and Pål Brudvik recently assisted Prime Capital with its purchase of Tromsø Vind and Raudfjell Vind, Simonsen advised Rabobank, DekaBank and EKF on the debt financing of the Tellenes wind power project on the south-west coast of Norway, and Brudvik acted for Finnmark Kraft on the development of the Hamnefjell wind farm. Robin Aker Jakobsen handles grid and regulatory matters and Tor Stokke focuses on regulatory and commercial work.

Wikborg Rein regularly acts for Norwegian power producers on the full range of contentious and transactional work with substantial presence in the wind power sector. Department head Tormod Ludvik Nilsen is a key name for clean technology transactions in the battery, hydrogen and solar sectors, and his recent work includes advising Luxcara on the development of a wind power portfolio and assisting Kongsberg Automotive with the sale of its ePower unit, which supplies the electric car industry. Jan Erik Clausen in Bergen is another key name for transactional work.

The practice at Advokatfirmaet CLP DA leverages the firm's corporate strength to assist with transactions in the energy space. Practice leader Lars Gunnar Aas is the key name for transactional work, while senior lawyer Amund Erdal handles regulatory issues and project developments. Recent highlights include acting for Fortum on the sale of its 10% stake in Hafslund Produksjon Holding, and advising Agder Energi Vannkraft on the negotiation of agreements relating to the sale and purchase of electricity certificates.

Led by Fredrik Lindblom, DLA Piper's practice is a key name for project finance work, with notable expertise in the onshore wind sector. In a recent highlight, Lindblom advised DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale on the project financing of an onshore wind farm project in Northern Norway. Other key individuals include transactional specialist Kaare Oftedal and finance expert Erik Ramm. Dag Thomas Hansson joined Kluge Advokatfirma AS in 2019.

SANDS has 'a broad understanding of all aspects of the electricity and renewable energy sectors' thanks to 'a small but highly skilled and dedicated team that can handle any problem thrown at them'. Sverre Tysland heads the team and is a key name for transactional work, Alf Øystein Skudal has 'strong strategic and organisation skills' and specialises in hydro power and grid work, and Halvor Grov handles renewables work. The team recently advised Midt Energi on the divestment of its electrical grid activities and assisted Røros Elektrisitetsverk with its reorganisation.