Focus Newsletter – May 2017

In this month’s edition, which you can access by clicking here, Pierre Bernheim and Nicolas Boittin from Trinity’s Francophone team look at the increasing number of captive power projects being undertaken, specifically looking to the experience of a handful of West African countries to understand the rules applicable to these projects (including selling power directly to consumers in the region).  This has been a topic we have explored in a number of jurisdictions, particularly with our solar developer clients and our article focusses on the solar sector.  As you’ll see from the article, whilst there is some regulatory framework, unfortunately there remains some uncertainty in the regulations.

We also take a look in this edition of FOCUS at the recent Supreme Court decision in the UK relating to insurance clauses in construction contracts. Simon Holloway summarises the latest position of the UK courts.

It has been a busy time at Trinity, with a number of high-profile deals closed in the past six months, including the $552m Amandi Energy power plant in Ghana where Trinity advised the project company and its original sponsors.  We also advised on the US$350m Hakan peat-fired power plant in Rwanda, where we acted for the lenders, Africa Finance Corporation, which arranged senior debt of US$225 million and FinnFund, the Finnish development agency, that arranged the mezzanine debt tranche.  Other lenders we advised included the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (now TDB Bank), the African Export-Import Bank, the Development Bank of Rwanda and the Export-Import Bank of India.