Tara A. Higgins. Profile. Engagements. Practices. Education. Honors. Partner Energy and Infrastructure. New York (212)

Transcription

1 Partner Energy and Infrastructure New York (212) Profile Tara Higgins, a partner in the New York office, is co-head of the U.S. Energy practice. She focuses primarily on domestic and international energy and infrastructure-related projects, including project financings, credit enhancement facilities, high yield and bond financings, and other senior secured lending transactions, project development, restructurings and bankruptcy-related transactions, including Section 363 sales, mergers and acquisitions, joint development arrangements, limited partners, and other member investments and miscellaneous investor arrangements. Tara has represented lenders, multilateral agencies and investment funds in connection with solar, wind, biomass and other alternative energy projects, midstream gas gathering and processing, gas pipelines and gas storage facilities, water and waste treatment plants, industrial plants, and transportation projects. She has represented multilateral agencies, private investment funds and lenders in equity investments and lending transactions in many countries, including Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Mauritius, the Middle East, sub-saharan Africa, the Philippines, Panama, Russia and other former Soviet republics, Southeast Europe, South Africa, Turkey and Uganda. Prior to joining Orrick, Tara was the co-chair of Bingham McCutchen s Energy and Project Finance Group. Engagements Energy Matters Represented SunEdison, LLC, with the construction loan, term loan, and tax equity financing for a 60 MWac grid-connected, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic generating facility located in Kern County, California, where Google acted as the investor, with Prudential and Santander Bank acting as lenders. The transaction represented one of the largest tax Practices Energy Infrastructure Africa Education J.D., St. John's University School of Law, 1988 B.A., magna cum laude, St. John's University, 1986 Honors IFLR Award: Leading Lawyer in Project Finance Chambers Global : Leading Lawyer in Projects Law Chambers USA : Leading Lawyer in Projects Law, Nationwide Legal 500 US 2012 Award: Leading Lawyer in Project Finance Page 1

2 equity investments in utility scale solar since the U.S. Treasury cash grant expired, and one of the largest solar financings in the United States in It was awarded 2014 North American Renewables Deal of the Year by IJGlobal. Represented Energy Investors Funds and Oregon Clean Energy, LLC in the development, debt financing, hedge financing, and equity raise for the Oregon Clean Energy Center, an 869 MW natural gas-fired electric power plant being built in the City of Oregon, Ohio. This project will be the most efficient generating facility in the mid-atlantic power markets. It was awarded 2014 North American Single-Asset Power Deal of the Year by IJGlobal. Represented Aircraft Services Corporation, an affiliate of General Electric Energy Financial Services, in the sale of its 25% indirect equity interest in CPV Sentinel, LLC, a project company that owns a 800 megawatt natural gas fired power plant located in Riverside County, California, to Voltage Finance LLC. Represented Atlantic Power Corporation and project company, Canadian Hills Wind, LLC, in the approximately US$290 million construction financing of the Canadian Hills wind power project. The Project has a capacity of up to MW and is located in Canadian County, Oklahoma with offtake contracts with Southwestern Electric Power Company, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority and Grand River Dam Association. Represented GE EFS in the agreement to acquire nearly US$1 billion in energy loans from the Bank of Ireland, with a total commitment of US$3.8 billion. Handled the negotiation of the overall purchase agreement and will advise GE in the closing of each of the transactions. The portfolio is comprised of senior secured energy project finance loans with an average size of approximately US$35 million, covering more than a dozen countries in Europe. Represented OneRoof Energy in connection with debt and equity financing of solar photovoltaic rooftop systems installed on residential properties in a complex equity investment/sale/leaseback transaction. Represented GE EFS in the US$55 million debt and project construction tax equity financing of a portfolio of a 12 MW portfolio of five solar power generation plants developed by SunPower Corporation. Representing GE Energy Financial Services (GE EFS), as an equity member and Colorado Highlands Wind, LLC, as the project company, in the negotiation of project agreements, development, construction and operation of a wind power project with a capacity of up to 67.2MW located in Logan County, Colorado, with an offtake contract with Tri- State Generation and Transmission Association. Representing a government agency in the project financing of a telecom company based in Eastern Africa. Advising the Department of Energy with a US$116 million loan Guide to the World's Leading Women in Business Law 2010: Leading Practitioner Irish Voice 2013: Irish Legal 100 Super Lawyers : New York, Energy & Natural Resources Memberships New York State Bar Association Page 2

3 guarantee for the development and construction of a cellulosic fuel grade ethanol plant using post-recycled municipal solid waste as feedstock located in Reno, Nev. Represented Delphi Midstream Partners in connection with an US$850 million bid on midstream assets in the Haynesville and Ford Shale. Represented Delphi Midstream Partners in its acquisition of Carrizzo Oil & Gas Inc. s midstream gas gathering assets in the Barnett Shale. Advised on the US$840 million financing of a MW portfolio of three wind power projects developed by Noble Environmental Power and located in upstate New York; named 2008 North American Renewable Deal of the Year by Project Finance magazine, 2008 Best Renewables Deal by Power Finance & Risk magazine, and 2008 Americas Renewable Deal of the Year by Project Finance International. Advised on the US$303 million development, construction and tax equity financing of the MW Benton County wind energy project in Indiana and current negotiations of a back-leverage financing facility for the project. Advised on the US$125 million development and equity investment in a 30 MW wood-fueled power plant in New England. Workout of US$120 million of loans for the project financing of the White Cliffs crude oil pipeline and other loans to its present company, SemCrude L.P. Advised on the US$60.3 million sale of two wind power projects located in Minnesota (106 MW) and Iowa (79.5 MW) to a subsidiary of The AES Corporation; represented GE EFS during Enron bankruptcy proceedings and restructuring of the projects, and through the ultimate sale of the assets. Represented the acquirer, a series of commonly managed private equity funds, in the acquisition of a portfolio of municipal solid waste generators and related electric generating facilities in the Northeastern United States. Represented lender in connection with the restructuring of a US$75 million financing related to ethanol facilities located in Missouri and Kansas; involved multitranche debt facility, working capital facilities and letters of credit. Multilateral Agency Representation Doga Enerji US$137 million financing of a 180 MW gas turbine thermoelectric plant located in Esenyurt, Turkey, including the proposed transfers of Edison Mission s ownership interest and various operating issues; Atradius (formerly NCM) also participated in this project. Housing for HIV US$250 million financing of an AIDS treatment project in Johannesburg, South Africa. Africa Technology Media and Telecommunications Fund Formation, Page 3

4 financing and funding of a US$100 million international private equity fund targeting Africa. ECP Mena Fund Formation, financing and funding of a US$135 million international private equity fund targeting the Middle East and North Africa. ECP Africa II Fund Formation, financing and funding of a US$210 million international private equity fund investing in companies with operations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Modern Africa Growth and Investment Corporation Fund Formation, financing, funding and subsequent restructuring of a US$150 million international private equity fund targeting infrastructure and development projects in Africa. Russia Partners Fund Formation, financing and subsequent restructuring and refinancing of a US$151 million portfolio of two international private equity funds targeting Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union; SICRF also participated in these transactions. Virgin Green Formation, financing and funding of an international private equity fund investing in renewable energy projects and clean technologies. Southeast Europe Equity Fund Formation, financing, funding and refinancing of a US$200 million international private equity fund investing in Southeast Europe. Other Representative Matters Represented General Electric Commercial Finance in the US$430 million equity/debt industrial project financing of a greenfield development and construction of containerboard mill in Niagara Falls, New York. Represented AIG Highstar Capital in the US$849 million sale of its Southern Star Central Corp. multistate gas pipeline system to a joint venture between GE Energy Financial Services and Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDP); sale price reflected a value gain of over 80 percent within a three-year period. Represented AIG Highstar Capital as investor in acquisition of multistate Williams Gas Pipeline for approximately US$555 million in cash and debt. Represented Southern Star Central Corp., and its subsidiaries, as issuers involving various 144A bond offerings and senior secured credit facilities in the refinancing of debt of Southern Star Central Corp. and Southern Star Gas Pipeline Inc. Represented Southern Star Central Corp. and Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline in offerings of an aggregate of US$250 million of senior high yield and US$230 million of senior investment grade notes, respectively; in connection with refinancing of existing indebtedness Page 4

5 through the above offerings, also represented Southern Star companies in related cash tender offers and consent solicitations with respect to their then-existing notes. Admitted In New York New Jersey Page 5