On 4 January 2016, Swissgrid acquired further parts of the Swiss transmission grid. This marks another significant milestone in the history of the Swiss electricity industry. Swissgrid and the previous owners of the transmission grid started the complex process of transferring the grid in 2009.

Bär & Karrer acts as legal advisor to Swissgrid. The team includes Rolf Watter (M&A), Phyllis Scholl (M&A, Energy Law), Thomas Stoltz (Notary) and Michelle Merz (M&A, Energy Law).

Noerr, in conjunction with its French partner law firm FTPA, is advising Areva Group on the strategic sale of its Canberra division. The group announced in Paris that it would accept the offer of the US group Mirion Technologies, Inc. and its majority owner, private equity investor Charterhouse.

Like Mirion, Canberra manufactures nuclear radiation measuring equipment and is the global leader in the segment. In Germany, Canberra operates one site in Rüsselsheim. The transaction is to be completed by the end of 2016.

King & Wood Mallesons advised the Emera group on the acquisition of the retirement home Alysea les Soins in Luxembourg. This transaction is one of the first acquisitions in this sector in Luxembourg.

Emera is the seventh largest private group of nursing homes in France. The group has 40 retirement homes (in France, Belgium and Switzerland) and about ten senior residents facilities.

The KWM Corporate team was composed of partner Pierre-Louis Sévegrand and associate Rémi Pagès in Paris; as well as partner Bertrand Geradin in Luxembourg.

New York and Paris - Lawyers from the New York and Paris offices of K&L Gates LLP have advised Boralex Inc. (TSX: BLX) on the acquisition of a portfolio of wind power projects in Northern France totalling approximately 350 MW.

Boralex develops, builds, and operates renewable energy power facilities in Canada, France, and the United States, and is France's largest independent producer of onshore wind power.

Castres & Snellman are acting as legal counsel to Gasum Oy in its acquisition of the Biotehdas biogas plant chain owned by Taaleritehdas Biofactory I Ky Private Equity Fund. The nationwide chain is the Finnish market leader in the biogas sector and comprises the fully operational biogas plants in Huittinen, Kuopio, Oulu and Honkajoki and a plant to be completed in summer 2016 in Riihimäki. The contract of sale was signed 11 January 2016 and the transaction is anticipated to be completed by February 29, 2016.

Osborne Clarke has advised Invenox on the closing of its Series A financing round. The Munich-based company, a spin-off start up from TU München, has developed a battery storage system with high energy-density for greater reach and high operational life.

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) has advised renewable energy company SunEdison, Inc. and its affiliate SunEdison Italia Holdings B.V. on the sale of four solar French photovoltaic plants to international solar power producer Sonnedix through its affiliate Sonnedix B.V. The four plants have a maximum aggregate capacity of 23.58 MW.

The transaction was implemented through the execution of a purchase and sale agreement of the 100% share capital of French company AES Solaire France S.A.S., the indirect beneficiary owner of the plants.

On December 1, 2015, Groupe E and the city of Fribourg have incorporated Groupe E Celsius SA, a new platform, which merges all district heating activities of Groupe E and the natural gas activities of Frigaz SA, the Fribourg-based natural gas distributor. Said platform includes also Placad, the district heating company of the Pérolles Heights. The value of the combined business amounts to approximately CHF 350 millions.

The operation was approved by the Swiss Competition Commission and Groupe E Celsius SA will start its operating activities on January 1, 2016.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) on the evaluation of tenders and negotiation of the contract terms for the refurbishment and rehabilitation of the 132MW coal-fired power station known as Morupule A at Morupule near Palapye, Botswana.

The contract was entered into by BPC and Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co Limited and the transaction is of national importance in the context of the country moving towards self-sufficiency in the supply of electricity.

Dubai—Dentons has advised National Central Cooling Company PJSC (“Tabreed”) on the AED192.5 million financing obtained from Emirates NBD for the development of Tabreed’s district cooling plant for Dubai Parks and Resorts.