Defined by its breadth of practice and depth of talent, Baker Botts L.L.P. is a leading firm in power, utilities and renewables; corporate and M&A; and project development transactions. The practice has experience handling mega-utility mergers and is active in capital markets transactions, bankruptcy and restructurings, and auctions for power assets; along with power and utility investments by strategic players and private equity funds, power project development and financing, and wholesale and retail energy transactions. based in Washington DC, Elaine Walsh handles energy-company mergers, energy-asset acquisitions, divestitures and investments, the development of electricity generation and fuel transportation and storage projects; she co-leads the team with New York-based transactional specialist Michael Didriksen.
Energy transactions: conventional power in United States
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Practice head(s):
Elaine Walsh; Michael Didriksen
Testimonials
‘Elaine Walsh – top notch legal lion and heavy hitter. She is a tireless workhorse for her clients and is extremely engaged, both on substantive matters, networking, and mutual business development opportunities. She is selfless with her time and really values getting to know her clients on a personal level. Broad-based skillset across high-value M&A, regulatory issues, bankruptcy law, and commercial transactions spanning a diverse range of energy sub-sectors (renewables, retail energy, conventional power, oil & gas, and logistics providers), as well as public and private investors, among companies both large and small, from the start-ups, to the JVs, to the big public companies.’
Key clients
CenterPoint Energy
Clearway Energy
Cleco Corporate Holdings
El Paso Electric Company
GCM Customized Fund Investment Group
Hull Street Energy
NRG Energy
Puget Sound Energy
Southern Company Gas
Sunnova Energy
AES Corporation
Transmission Developers
Talen Energy
Work highlights
- Representing CenterPoint Energy, the largest common unitholder in Enable Midstream Partners on the latter’s sale (in an all-equity transaction valued at roughly $7.2bn) to Energy Transfer.
- Representing Transmission Developers on the development of the Champlain Hudson Power Express Project – a $3bn-plus, 1,250MW underground/underwater high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line from the US-Canada border to New York City.
- Represented NRG in its simultaneous offerings of $1.4bn of senior secured first lien notes, $1.53bn of senior unsecured notes and $900m of pre-capitalized trust securities.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP's multidisciplinary practice covers the full array of conventional power matters, notably the acquisition and sale of energy and infrastructure assets and the financing of private and public companies, as well as acquisitions, going-private transactions, spin-off transactions and the acquisition of minority interests. Andrew Calder leads the team from Houston and focuses on M&A, corporate and securities law, and corporate governance with a particular orientation towards the energy sector. Additional key names in the practice include Kristin Mendoza, in New York, who advises public and private companies (including private equity firms and strategic investors) on conventional power issues; and Rohit Chaudhry, in Washington DC, who focuses on energy and project-finance transactions, sales and acquisitions, and project restructurings across the energy spectrum.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Rhett Van Syoc; Kristin Mendoza; Rohit Chaudhry
Key clients
Apollo Global Management
ArcLight Clean Transition
Bluescape Energy Partners
Brookfield Asset Management
CleanCapital
Cypress Creek Renewables
EQT Infrastructure
GenOn
Macquarie Capital
JDH Capital
KKR
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board
Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners
The Blackstone Group
Trilantic Capital Partners
Warburg Pincus
Work highlights
- Advised KKR in connection with the signing of definitive documentation to acquire the Thermal business of Clearway Energy, for a total consideration of $1.9bn, subject to customary closing adjustments.
- Advised Blackstone Energy Partners on its sale of GridLiance to NextEra Energy Transmission Investments.
- Advised Macquarie Asset Management and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board on the signing of an agreement to jointly acquire a 31.6 per cent stake in Puget Holdings from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
Latham & Watkins LLP
Active across the spectrum of power sector matters, Latham & Watkins LLP’s broad expertise covers conventional power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, renewables, energy storage, nuclear power generation and evolving electric power technologies. The team specialises in finance, project finance, IPPs and M&A advice to conventional power players, as well as being particularly active in the private equity segment. New York-based Eli Katz leads a deep bench of experts, key names among them include: Christopher Cross in New York, who is an experienced corporate and finance lawyer in the energy industry; transactional expert David Kurzweil, who also works out of New York; and Lauren Anderson in Houston, whose strengths are private equity transactions, M&A and general corporate matters for energy and infrastructure industry clients. The group was further strengthened in 2021 by the arrival Houston-based Trina Chandler from Vinson & Elkins LLP; she is known for her M&A expertise across the power and renewables, energy transition, and infrastructure sectors.
Practice head(s):
Eli Katz
Other key lawyers:
Christopher Cross; David Schwartz; David Kurzweil; Trina Chandler; Jeffrey Greenberg; Paul Kukish; Lauren Anderson
Key clients
AES Corporation
Ares Management
Carlyle Power Partners
Castleton Commodities
ContourGlobal
Cubico Sustainable Investment
Energy Capital Partners
Fluence Energy
Global Infrastructure Partners
Panda Power Funds
Partners Group (USA)
Bank of America
Credit Suisse
Bracewell LLP
Ryan Holcomb leads the Bracewell LLP team from Houston and advises private equity investors, energy companies, utilities, financial institutions and commodity trading businesses across the power sector. The team’s broad experience includes generation involving all fuel types, transmission, the acquisition and divestiture of conventional power assets, joint ventures, equity investments, project finance and energy project development. An additional area of strength for the practice is financial products in the power industry, including physical and financial commodity and hedging transactions.
Practice head(s):
Ryan Holcomb
Other key lawyers:
Danielle Varnell; Alan Rafte; Danielle Garbien
Key clients
Entergy Corporation
Rockland Capital
Competitive Power Ventures
NRG Energy
OGE Energy Corporation
Work highlights
- Acted as lead counsel to Competitive Power Ventures on the equity sell-down of its majority interest in the CPV Three Rivers Energy Center to Osaka Gas USA, Axium Infrastructure and Harrison Street.
- Advised NRG Energy on the sale of a portfolio of eight thermal power generating plants in its East and West regions (New York, Connecticut and California) and totalling 4,850MW to ArcLight Capital Partners affiliate, Generation Bridge.
- Advised Rockland Capital on the sale of a 778MW portfolio of natural gas-fired power facilities.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP handles a range of electricity generation M&A transactions, project acquisitions and investments, project development, joint ventures, project financings and capital markets transactions. In term of M&A, the practice is particularly known for representing the acquirer or target in large utility transactions. Peter Hanlon specialises in M&A, capital markets and other securities offerings, primarily representing acquirers, sellers, investors and strategic partners in the energy sector. He co-leads the team with Nicholas Politan, whose forte is domestic and cross-border energy-related transactions, including M&A, financings, project development, construction, operation and restructuring; both individuals are based in New York.
Practice head(s):
Peter Hanlon; Nicholas Politan
Key clients
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company
BHE Renewables
WGL Holdings
Clearway Energy
Sojitz Corporation of America
Goldman Sachs
Avista
Terna Energy
Carlyle Power Partners
Saguaro Power
Northern Natural Gas and Kern River Gas Transmission (collectively referred to as “BHE Pipeline Group”)
Investment Banks including Morgan Stanley, Guggenheim Partners, Evercore, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo Securities Barclays Capital and MUFG Securities Americas
AIP Management
Algonquin Power and Utilities Corporation
Softbank Energy
Government of Barbados (for new National Energy Policy and matters relating to Barbados Light & Power)
I Squared Capital
Gilead Sciences
Kirkbi Invest
Orion Energy
Intel
Tesla
Emera Electric
South Jersey Industries
NRG Energy, Inc.
South Carolina Department of Administration
UBS O’Connor Capital Solutions
SolarEdge
Bloom Energy
STEM
The Related Companies
McGuireWoods LLP
Combining expertise in energy trading and energy transactions with a background in utilities, McGuireWoods LLP can handle a variety of conventional power matter. The firm has experience representing infrastructure and PE funds involved in energy sector M&A - and in a recent highlight assisted in the creation of the Southeast Energy Exchange Market, an innovative project to create a centralized, automated, intra-hour energy exchange. Richmond-based Joanne Katsantonis focuses on M&A, energy transactions and financing, and is practice co-head along with Brian Kelly in Baltimore; he advises energy industry and financial clients on a range of transactional issues.
Practice head(s):
Joanne Katsantonis; Brian Kelly
Work highlights
- Represented Dominion Energy in the approximately $8bn sale of the majority of its gas transmission and storage segment assets.
- Lead counsel to a group of energy companies, providing electricity to roughly 50m people across a wide geographic region of the south-eastern US, to propose the creation of a centralized, automated, intra-hour energy exchange called the Southeast Energy Exchange Market (SEEM).
- Representation of Dominion Energy in the pending sale of Questar Pipelines to Southwest Gas Holdings.
Milbank
Known for its cross-border project finance and development expertise, Milbank advises key players -including debt and equity investors, private sponsors and government lenders- on conventional power projects domestically and internationally. Practice head Daniel Bartfeld has particular expertise in multi-sourced financings, as well as representing international investors in development and M&A in Latin America. His team includes William Bice, who focuses on the development, financing, acquisition, disposition and restructuring of power generation and transmission projects, as well as being active in other energy and infrastructure projects; and Richard Hillman, whose experience covers advising lenders, sponsors and other project participants on US and international project and structured finance transactions. All named individuals are based in New York.
Practice head(s):
Daniel Bartfeld
Other key lawyers:
William Bice; Richard Hillman
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
The multidisciplinary team at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP provides project financing, transactional, M&A, development and regulatory expertise. The practice’s electric regulatory expertise includes issues related to FERC rulings and contesting rulings that upend precedent, as well as challenging utility proposals for interconnection arrangements that inhibit the development of energy projects. The team is co-led from Houston by Blake Winburne, whose experience in the electric power sector includes oil and gas generation as well as renewable energy projects; and Dahl Thompson, who represents project sponsors, developers, utilities and strategic investors across the structuring, development, financing, acquisition and disposition of energy projects and companies.
Practice head(s):
Blake Winburne; Dahl Thompson
Key clients
Broad Reach Power
Recurrent Energy
Strata Solar
Ardian Infrastructure
Southwest Generation
Wellhead Electric
Ares Management
Infrastructure Investment Fund
Macquarie
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Combining industry expertise with transactional and regulatory experience, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP advises strategic and private equity clients across M&A, financing transactions, project development, corporate structuring and securing financing. Renewable and alternative power expert David Lieberman leads the team from Houston and can call on the expertise of New York-based Brian Chisling, who specializes in advising independent power producers, electric and gas utilities, pipeline companies, private equity funds and financing parties with respect to M&A, divestitures and securities issuances, as well as related federal and state regulatory issues.
Practice head(s):
David Lieberman
Other key lawyers:
Brian Chisling
Key clients
American Electric Power
BlackRock Energy and Power Infrastructure Group
Blackstone
Citibank
Credit Agricole
EQT
Goldman Sachs
Global Infrastructure Partners
ITC Holdings
KeyBank National Association
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Morgan Stanley
MUFG
NextEra Energy
PPL Corporation
The Royal Bank of Canada
Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Terra-Gen
Vivint Solar
Work highlights
- Advised EQT Infrastructure V fund on its acquisition of Cypress Creek Renewables.
- Advised Global Infrastructure Partners on its acquisition of MAP® RE/ES, the renewable energy business of MAP® Energy.
- Advising Algonquin Power & Utilities on the announced $2.846bn acquisition by Algonquin subsidiary of Kentucky Power Company and AEP Kentucky Transmission Company from American Electric Power.
White & Case LLP
Known for its power M&A, finance and regulatory expertise, White & Case LLP advises clients across the US and globally on a range of transactions, distressed sales, joint ventures, capital market offerings and project financings. The practice is also strong in the project components of debt and equity offerings. Nandan Nelivigi is head of the firm’s Americas Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance team and specializes in innovative US power transactions. Another key name in the area is power M&A expert Michael Shenberg, who focuses on energy M&A, capital markets and financing transactions. Both Nelivigi and Shenberg are based in New York.
Practice head(s):
Nandan Nelivigi
Other key lawyers:
Michael Shenberg
Key clients
Calpine Corporation
Sempra Energy
Beal Bank
AimCo
EFS Cogen Holdings I
GenOn Bowline Power
Tealov
Credit Suisse
Investec
Credit Agricole
Work highlights
- Represented Sempra Energy in the acquisition of the remaining stake in Infraestructura Energética Nova, in a deal valuing the target at approximately $5.81bn.
- Representation of Sempra Energy in an agreement to sell a non-controlling 20 percent interest in its new business platform, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, to KKR for $3.37bn in cash.
- Advised Credit Suisse, Investec and Credit Agricole, as arrangers, on the structuring and closing of the secured acquisition financing of a portfolio consisting of 9 power plants, each with an installed capacity ranging from 133MW to 1,617MW located in California, Connecticut and New York.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton's global practice provides broad expertise in the conventional power sector, from M&A, capital markets, restructurings and project financings, to litigation and regulatory matters. Power generation, distribution and transmission related transactions are a key part of the practice group’s repertoire, and it is increasingly active in the biofuels and renewable energy segments, as well as energy-transition matters. The New York-based team includes experienced practitioners Richard Cooper, Chantal Kordula, Jeffrey Lewis and Adam Brenneman.
Other key lawyers:
Richard Cooper; Chantal Kordula; Jeffrey Lewis; Adam Brenneman
Key clients
Puerto Rico P3A – Transmission & Distribution (Stage 1)
Puerto Rico P3A – Generation & Operation (Stage 2)
Ad hoc group of secured project finance lenders
Underwriters to SoCal Edison
Designated Underwriters’ counsel to Edison International
Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE)
Colbún
Ad hoc group of bondholders of Stoneway Capital Corporation
Companhia Paranaense de Energia (Copel)
International placement agents to Focus Energia
Blackrock
Atlantic Power Corporation
Eversheds Sutherland
Co-led from Atlanta by energy experts Herbert Short, Thomas Warren, Dorothy Black Franzoni and Ram Sunkara, the practice at Eversheds Sutherland has broad M&A experience combined with strengths in the key areas of gas and nuclear energy. Alongside its day-to-day power work, the firm handles data centre issues and electricity cooperative work, as well as providing expertise in power trading and power market matters.
Practice head(s):
Herbert Short; Thomas Warren; Dorothy Black Franzoni; Ram Sunkara
Key clients
Oglethorpe Power Corporation
Gas South
San Miguel Electric Cooperative
Georgia Transmission Corporation
Work highlights
- Advised longstanding client Oglethorpe Power Corporation on the registration of the 2020A bonds with the SEC; and on increasing the market size of its commercial paper program to $1.2bn.
- Acted as lead counsel to Gas South on its acquisition of the natural gas marketing business of Infinite Energy, resulting in Gas South’s annual revenue doubling to circa $1bn and a total of over 425,000 customers in the south-eastern US.
- Advised Consolidated Edison Clean Energy businesses on the acquisition and sale of renewable energy projects in varying stages of development.
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Combining project finance, corporate, lending, environmental, litigation, regulatory and tax expertise, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP brings a multidisciplinary approach to its conventional power practice. Particular areas of advisory expertise include financing, tax, environmental and land use, FERC and energy regulatory, project development and real estate matters. Jeffrey Schroeder spearheads the practice from Washington DC and focuses on domestic and international project finance, notably project development and asset, stock and portfolio acquisitions.
Practice head(s):
Jeffrey Schroeder
Key clients
DTE Energy
EmberClear Corporation
Work highlights
- Advised DTE Energy in connection with drafting and negotiating project documents for the $1bn development of the Blue Water Energy Center, a 1,100MW natural gas, combined-cycle generation plant.
- Advising EmberClear as lead developer’s counsel in connection with the development of the Harrison Power Plant, a 1,050MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle electric generating facility in Harrison County, Ohio.
K&L Gates
Full service firm K&L Gates handles M&A, joint ventures, debt and equity offerings, project development and project finance matters related to the conventional power field. Strengths of the practice include corporate energy sourcing issues, as well as acting for institutional investors, including offshore funds, on a range of matters. The team is co-led by Elizabeth Crouse, based in Seattle, who has particular expertise in the carbon capture and renewables industries; San Francisco-based Buck Endemann, who focuses on renewables; and energy and infrastructure specialist Teresa Hill in Seattle.
Practice head(s):
Elizabeth Crouse; Buck Endemann; Teresa Hill
Other key lawyers:
Eric Freedman
Testimonials
‘Great knowledge of the industry.’
Key clients
Municipality of Anchorage
ConnectGen
Brookfield Renewable Partners
Unico Solar Investors
EDPR
Starbucks Coffee Company
TransAlta Renewables
La-Z-Boy Incorporated
Kellogg Company
Microsoft Corporation
Norton Rose Fulbright
Advising on sponsor and lender-side work, Norton Rose Fulbright has considerable experience in the financing of conventional power projects, as well as various types of energy hedges and corporate PPAs, and large battery, community solar, build-transfer agreements and other business models. The practice is particularly prominent in the energy-transition space, covering the spectrum of matters in the clean energy and green infrastructure segments along with the issues arising from the industry's transition toward a low-carbon or carbon neutral model. Tax and project finance expert Keith Martin in Washington DC co-leads the team with New York-based Ben Koenigsberg, who is a transactional specialist.
Practice head(s):
Keith Martin; Ben Koenigsberg
Key clients
Key Capture Energy
MUFG
Soo Green HVDC Link ProjectCo
Momentum Energy Storage Partners
Jupiter Power
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners
Hannon Armstrong
Nomura
MasTec
Transmission Developers
Carlyle Group
Starwood Energy Group
Advanced Power
Moxie Energy
AES Corporation
Work highlights
- Represented 7X Energy in the $220m sale of 9GWs of US solar development projects and 1GW of “safe harbour” equipment—one of the major development company M&A deals in 2021.
- Representing Soo Green HVDC Link ProjectCo in relation to a first-of-its-kind development (including EPC documentation aspects); specifically, a 350-mile, 2.1GW, high voltage, direct current transmission line to be installed underground along existing railroad rights of way.
- Represented C2 Energy Capital on the nine-figure sale of distributed solar platform subsidiary C2 Omega to EDP Renewables North America.
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Providing ‘insight, thoughtful structure and careful diligence’, Shearman & Sterling LLP advises a range of clients including public and private power companies and utilities, commercial banks and investment firms in the conventional power sector. The practice stands out in the finance and project finance areas, and is recommended as ‘clearly amongst the top teams in the industry for advising lenders in conventional power project finance deals’. Project finance expert Gregory Tan co-leads the New York-based team with Robert Freedman, who specializes in conventional and renewable energy projects.
Practice head(s):
Gregory Tan; Robert Freedman
Testimonials
‘The S&S team is clearly amongst the top teams in the industry for advising lenders in conventional power project finance deals. They provide insight, thoughtful structure and careful diligence all without the anxiety that drives certain non-Shearman transactions.‘
‘Rob Freedman is super diligent in his efforts, thoughtful in delineating between true risks and minor concerns, and his calm demeanor tends to pervade the entire team and transaction.‘
Key clients
ING
Caixabank
MUFG Bank
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
BNP Paribas
Credit Agricole
Royal Bank of Canada
Natixis
Citigroup
Société Générale
Work highlights
- Advised the lenders, and BNP Paribas as administrative agent, on a term facility and revolving facility for the financing of the 224MW (summer) natural gas-fired combined-cycle Hog Bayou facility located in Mobile, Alabama.
- Advised National Bank of Canada, National Bank Financial, East West Bank and NY Green Bank, as lenders on a senior secured term loan facility and revolving credit facility for RED-Rochester.
- Advised the note purchasers and bank lenders on an approximately $580m senior secured note issuance and $205m senior secured credit facility for Georgetown Energy Partners.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Pankaj Sinha leads the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP practice from Washington DC and advises clients on M&A, financings and other corporate transactions; he has extensive experience in transactions related to energy, infrastructure and water assets. The team, in turn, has particular expertise in cross-border transactions in the conventional power field.
Practice head(s):
Pankaj Sinha
ArentFox Schiff LLP
ArentFox Schiff demonstrates strengths in M&A, environmental matters, finance, real estate and litigation. The firm brings these to bear for utility sector and independent power producer clients, including traditional utilities, coal- and gas-fired generation, and renewables companies. New York-based Sarah Fitts is recommended as ‘a great lawyer’ for energy projects and co-leads the practice with Daniel Deeb and Joshua More (both in Chicago).
Practice head(s):
Sarah Fitts; Daniel Deeb; Joshua More
Testimonials
‘Sarah Fitts is a great lawyer.’
Key clients
EDP Renewables North America
Chugoku Electric Power Company
Ares Climate Infrastructure
NV Energy
Engie
Vistra Corporation
Toyota Tsusho Power America
Ameren
EDP Renewables North America
Work highlights
- Advising Engie North America on confidential acquisitions of significant battery electric storage systems.
- Advising a power generation company in connection with its investment in a producer of high-value carbon products from renewable biomass.
- Assisted a client with the divestiture of former fossil-fueled power stations.
Dentons
The multidisciplinary practice group at Dentons covers a range of transactional matters in the conventional power space, as well as providing power regulatory and compliance expertise to its roster of public and private sector clients. Washington DC-based Clinton Vince leads the team and is general counsel of the GridWise Alliance Grid Infrastructure Advisory Council’s (GIAC) board of directors; the GIAC was formed to advocate for federal spending to modernize the nation’s electric power transmission and distribution systems.
Practice head(s):
Clinton Vince
Key clients
Anterix (formerly pdvWireless)
Rayburn Country
Capital Power Corporation
Blue Wolf Capital Fund V
InfraRed Capital
CIM / Westland Solar
Ontario Power Generation
Enbridge
Colorado Springs Utilities
MISO
CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank
Work highlights
- Advised independent North American power producer, Capital Power, on its acquisition of the 100.5MW Buckthorn Wind Project, located in Erath County, Texas.
- Advice to Anterix in connection with its efforts to play a key role in the modernization of communications infrastructure in the nation’s various critical infrastructure sectors – particularly the utility sector.
- Represented Rayburn Country Electric Cooperative in hard fought negotiation of its multibillion-dollar long-term, full-requirements Wholesale Power Contracts with its electricity cooperative members.
Mayer Brown
Joining the rankings this year, Mayer Brown’s expanding practice is bringing together practitioners with backgrounds that include government service, accounting firm positions and in-house experience. The group provides broad expertise that covers the spectrum of energy and transaction structures for a diverse client base of sponsors, lenders, tax equity investors, strategic investors, foreign investors, pension funds, private equity groups and money managers. Chicago-based Paul Astolfi is practice co-head along with Fritz Lark in New York.
Practice head(s):
Paul Astolfi; Fritz Lark
Key clients
Argo Infrastructure Partners
Brookfield Infrastructure
Ember Infrastructure Partners
ReGenerate Energy Holdings
Ironclad Energy Partners
Diamond Generating Corporation
Invenergy Thermal Development
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
McDermott Will & Emery LLP handles a range of transactions across the energy sector, notably in the nuclear, hydroelectric, coal, oil and gas segments, as well as renewables. Advising on investments across all energy types, the practice group also provides a strong energy tax practice to clients including private equity funds and public utilities. The team is co-led by Los Angeles-based Edward Zaelke and Philip Tingle in Miami.
Practice head(s):
Edward Zaelke; Philip Tingle
Key clients
Agera Energy
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corporation
Apex Clean Energy
Bloom Energy
Boston Energy Trading and Marketing
CS Energy
GEG Renewables
GenOn Holdings
Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO)
Scout Clean Energy
S-Power (now called AES Renewables)
Terra-Gen Power
Terraform Power (TERP)
US Wind Incorporated
Work highlights
- Represented GEG Renewables in the negotiation of a fifteen-year power purchase agreement with AEP Energy Partners for its 400MW Starke Solar facility and 300MW Mammoth South facility in Indiana.
- Represented Novel Energy Solutions, a distributed solar developer, in its agreement with North Sky Infrastructure to enter into a joint venture agreement to fund Novel’s ongoing development costs associated with solar projects throughout the United States.
- Advised independent exploration and petroleum company, Oasis Petroleum, on its purchase and sale agreement to acquire select Williston Basin assets from Diamondback Energy.
Moore & Van Allen, PLLC
The multidisciplinary practice at Moore & Van Allen, PLLC advises energy companies, investors and lenders across the energy industry. The practice represents traditional and renewable energy facilities in acquisitions and divestitures, as well as advising private equity funds on the purchase and sale of energy companies and facilities. Another area of strength is assisting electricity generating projects with engineering procurement and construction agreements. Joe Fernandez leads the team from Charlotte and his expertise runs the gamut of transactional matters, including M&A, project finance, project contracts and the development of new facilities.
Practice head(s):
Joe Fernandez
Key clients
Ares Management
Heelstone Renewable Energy
Nucor Corporation
CS Energy
GreenGo Energy US
Ranger Power
National Grid USA
Cogentrix Energy Power Management
Tyr Energy
Brookfield Power US Asset Management
Work highlights
- Advised Fortune 150 publicly traded company Nucor in connection with the negotiation and execution of a long-term virtual power purchase agreement with EDF Renewables North America for 250MWac of solar energy in Texas.
- Advised investment funds managed by Ares on acquiring the exclusive right to purchase and monetize lease and royalty payments from wind energy generation.
- Represented Nucor in connection with the negotiation and execution of a long-term virtual power purchase agreement with Ørsted Onshore North America for 100MWac of wind energy from the Western Trail wind farm in Texas.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP
Specializing in energy capital markets, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP represents energy and utility companies and their underwriters across the spectrum of capital markets transactions. Particular strengths for the firm include statute-based securitization financings, tax-exempt debt financings, project financings, sale and leasebacks, and forward equity sales. New York-based Jeffrey Delaney leads the team and focuses on specialized finance for energy, pharmaceutical and life insurance companies.
Practice head(s):
Jeffrey Delaney
Key clients
Ameren Services Company / Union Electric Company
Arizona Public Service Company / Pinnacle West Capital Corporation
Avista Corporation
Chevron Corporation
Consumers Energy Company / CMS Energy Corporation
Entergy (Arkansas, Gulf States, Louisiana, New Orleans, Mississippi, Texas) / Entergy Corpration
Great Plains Energy / Kansas City Power & Light Company / Westar Energy / Kansas Gas and Electric Company
Kentucky Utilities Company / PPL Corporation
Louisville Gas & Electric Company / PPL Corporation
PPL Corporation / PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
Portland General Electric Company
Sierra Pacific Power Company / NV Energy
Southern California Edison Company / Edison International
Spire Incorporated (formerly: The Laclede Group)
Barclays Capital
BNP Paribas
BNY Mellon Capital Markets
BofA Merrill Lynch
Citigroup Capital Markets
Deutsche Bank Securities
Goldman, Sachs
JP Morgan
KeyBanc Capital Markets
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities
Mizuho Securities
Morgan Stanley
Raymond James
RBC Capital Markets
Scotiabank
SMBC Nikko
Stephens Inc.
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
TD Securities
UBS Investment Bank
US Bancorp
Wells Fargo Securities
Work highlights
- Advised the underwriters, agents and insurance company purchasers on a number of capital markets issuances across a wide variety of security and offering types by publicly-traded CMS Energy Corporation and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy Company.
- Advised the underwriters on capital markets issuances of registered notes by Arizona Public Service Company, the principal subsidiary of publicly-traded Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and the largest utility company in Arizona.
- Represented BoA Securities, Citigroup Global Markets, JP Morgan Securities, Mizuho Securities USA and Wells Fargo Securities, as sales agents, in connection with the up to $100m market equity program of Entergy Corporation.
Winston & Strawn LLP
The energy M&A team at Winston & Strawn LLP has ‘all of the necessary expertise and harnesses its institutional knowledge of its clients very well’. The practice is experienced in conventional power acquisitions and disposals, notably PPAs and offtake arrangements, and combines this with strong environmental and real estate expertise. Mike Blankenship in Houston, New York-based Mike Pikiel, Rich Shutran (also in New York) and Joe Karp in San Francisco co-lead a team of practitioners who are complemented for ‘their level of dedication to their clients’. Another key name in the area is Jonathan Birenbaum (in New York), who represents strategic and financial clients in complex transactions involving a range of structures and assets.
Practice head(s):
Mike Blankenship; Mike Pikiel; Rich Shutran; Joe Karp
Other key lawyers:
Jonathan Birenbaum; Amanda Sewell
Testimonials
‘The M&A team at Winston has all of the necessary expertise and harnesses its institutional knowledge of its clients very well. What makes the team special is their level of dedication to their clients. They are always available to their clients, happy to help, and a pleasure to speak with. Though not litigators, they advocate for their client in a reasonable and even-handed manner, building credibility with all parties’ counsel.‘
‘Jonathan Birenbaum is a wonderful human being. If he were a physician, he would be described as having a gracious, witty, and kind bedside manner. His gregariousness belies his years of experience, industriousness, and insight as to how to avoid future potential perils. Jonathan is a wonderful mentor to his team members, including Amanda Sewell, who herself is a pleasure to work with. Amanda’s good nature and attitude similarly disguise her critical mind, attention to detail, and fierce advocacy for her clients’ best interests.‘
Key clients
Capital Power
Exelon
ProEnergy Holding Company
Clearway Energy
Axium Infrastructure
Seminole Electric Cooperative
Work highlights
- Represented ProEnergy in a project financing for a new 288MW gas-fired electric generation facility in Brazoria County, Texas. which the company will develop, own, and operate.
- Represented ProEnergy in a project financing for a new 288MW gas-fired electric generation facility in Fort Bend County, Texas, which the company will develop, own, and operate.
- Represented the joint book-running managers as underwriters’ counsel in two registered public offerings for Commonwealth Edison Company; valued at $1.15bn.