Wikborg Rein advises Transocean Ltd. on its acquisition of Songa Offshore in a deal valued at $3.38 billion

Energiedienst Holding AG has acquired 51% in winsun AG, a Swiss start-up company focusing on the development and engineering of photovoltaic projects as well as the sale and marketing of photovoltaic systems. The acquisition of a majority stake in winsun further strengthens the position of Energiedienst Holding in these business areas.

Slaughter and May advised China Power New Energy Development Company Limited (CPNE) and China Power Clean Energy Development Company Limited (CPCE) in relation to their reorganisation proposal, pursuant to which the holding company of the listed group (the Group) was changed from Bermuda-incorporated CPNE to Hong Kong-incorporated CPCE by way of a scheme of arrangement under section 99 of the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda (as amended) (the Scheme).

Herbert Smith Freehills has advised AGL Energy (AGL) and lenders on the 453 MW Coopers Gap Wind Farm. The project achieved financial close on 17 August 2017.

The wind farm will be located around 250km north-west of Brisbane, near Cooranga North, and will consist of 123 wind turbines. Once complete, it will be the largest wind farm in Australia, generating 1,510 GWh of renewable energy annually – enough to power more than 260,000 homes.

Ashurst has advised government-owned electricity generator CS Energy on a new joint venture with Western Australia-based electricity retailer Alinta Energy (Atlinta), which aims to reduce electricity prices for small businesses and households in south-east Queensland.

British Wind Energy GmbH (“BWE”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northland Power Inc., has today successfully achieved Financial Close for the approximately EUR 1 (one) billion project financing of its offshore wind farm project Deutsche Bucht (“Deutsche Bucht”). The non-recourse project financing has been entered into with a consortium of 10 commercial banks, including the KfW-IPEX, Commerzbank, Natixis, Santander, National Bank of Canada, SMBC, CIBC, Helaba, Société Générale, and Rabobank.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (“Freshfields”) is advising Total, S.A. (“Total”) on its proposed acquisition of Maersk Oil for US$7.45 billion, to be settled in Total shares and assumed debt.  The proposed transaction is subject to the applicable legally required consultation and notification processes for employee representatives and to approvals by the relevant regulatory authorities. Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2018.
 

Orrick has advised Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (“BIG”), a specialist investor in the biomass and waste to energy sector, in its acquisition of a portfolio of 20 assets from the UK’s Green Investment Bank.

The assets include four biomass and waste to energy facilities, 15 anaerobic digestion plants and a materials recovery facility in Northern Ireland, England and Scotland, with a combined generating capacity of more than 80MW.

Deepwater drilling contractor Seadrill Partners has completed amendments to three secured credit facilities that will insulate it from the restructuring efforts of its parent company, Seadrill Limited.

The amendments to the three facilities remove Seadrill Limited and its consolidated entities as a borrower or guarantor, separate the facilities so that Seadrill Partners’ facilities are secured only by the Seadrill Partners’ assets, and extends the maturities of Seadrill Partners’ facilities by 2.5 years.

Ashurst has advised General Electric (GE) in its negotiations with the Powering Australian Renewables Fund (PARF) to supply, install and operate 123 wind turbines at Coopers Gap Wind Farm, to be located near Cooranga North in Queensland. PARF is a partnership between AGL Energy Limited (20 per cent) and Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) (80 per cent, on behalf of clients the Future Fund and the QIC Global Infrastructure Fund).