Rohit Chaudhry, P.C.
Overview
Rohit is absolutely top-notch; he's super responsive and understands how to corral people toward an objective. He's unbeatable. - Chambers USA
Rohit Chaudhry is a debt finance partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Rohit’s practice focuses on energy and project finance transactions, sales and acquisitions, as well as project restructurings across the energy spectrum, including independent power, oil & gas, midstream and LNG sectors. Rohit represents private equity funds, developers, lenders and institutional investors on domestic and international transactions. He has led transactions in the United States, Latin America and Asia.
Rohit is recognized by Chambers USA in Band 1 for Projects, Nationwide, Chambers Global in Band 1 for Projects, USA and Chambers Latin America for Projects, Latin America-wide in multiple years running. He is described by clients in Chambers USA as an “excellent, big-picture projects attorney.” He is also recognized year after year by The Legal 500 U.S. as a leading lawyer for Project Finance and Energy: Renewable/Alternative, The Legal 500 Latin America for Projects and Energy and The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Project Finance. In addition, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America since 2010 and by Law360 as a 2015 Project Finance MVP. He is also highly regarded by IFLR1000 in Project Finance – United States for 2018.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland, Rohit’s representative transactions have included:
- Represented Blackstone Infrastructure Partners in its approximately $1 billion investment in a portfolio of wind and solar projects with NextEra Energy Resources.
- Represented Intersect Power in a $800 million credit facility to support the development, construction and operation of its renewables, energy storage and green hydrogen projects.
- Represented Global Infrastructure Partners in its investment in Rio Grande LNG’s $18.4 billion Phase I development and project financing.
- Represented Macquarie Asset Management in its preferred equity investment in Pavlov Media, Inc., one of the largest independent providers of fiber-based internet connectivity to off-campus student housing in the United States.
- Represented Blackstone Infrastructure Partners on its participation in a consortium of investors that secured an almost 84,000 acre lease for $645 million in the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s New York Bight offshore wind auction.
- Represented Blackstone Infrastructure Partners on its $3 billion equity investment in Invenergy Renewables Holdings LLC in one of the largest renewables investments in North American history.
- Represented Ares’s Infrastructure & Power strategy in its acquisition of a majority stake in Apex Clean Energy, a leading renewables developer transitioning to an independent power producer, and certain related co-investment arrangements and financings.
- Represented Macquarie Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition and financing for its acquisition of Wheelabrator Technologies.
- Represented Macquarie Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition and financing for its acquisition of GreenWaste Recovery Zanker Road Resource Management.
- Represented Carval, Generate Capital and Climate Adaptive Infrastructure on a $2.6 billion financing raised by Intersect Power for a portfolio of six renewable projects.
- Represented the arrangers on a $2.3 billion Term Loan A, Term Loan B and Letter of Credit facility for Freeport LNG Investments.
- Represented Upwell Water on a $150 million financing to support the development of its water projects.
- Represented Summit Midstream Partners, LP in the financing for the development of the Double E Pipeline Project.
- Represented Apollo Global Management Inc. in the sale of its interest in Arlington Valley Solar Energy II, a 175 megawatt solar photovoltaic project, to Capital Dynamics.
- Represented Carval Investors in connection with the $480 million financing for Intersect Power.
- Represented Cypress Creek Renewables on a mezzanine debt financing backed by a 1.6 GW portfolio of operating solar projects, and on a senior financing of a portfolio of 14 operating solar projects.
- Represented CarVal Investors in its $150 million financing for Redaptive Inc.
- Represented Ares Management Corporation as agent and lender in connection with a mezzanine borrowing base financing of a portfolio of residential solar projects and home efficiency leases owned by sponsor PosiGen, Inc.
- Represented the lenders in connection with the $3.4 billion Train 3 refinancing for Freeport LNG.
- Represented Investec Bank plc and the lenders in the senior secured and mezzanine financing for Cardinal States Gathering Co. LLC.
- Represented NorthRiver Midstream Inc., a portfolio company of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP in its C$700 mm Term Loan A Facility in the financing of the acquisition of natural gas gathering and processing businesses from Enbridge Inc.
- Represented the lenders in the approximately $1.27 billion refinancing for Train 2 of the Freeport LNG facility.
- Represented the lenders in the $1.075 billion financing for Guernsey Power Station.
- Represented Clean Energy Future Lordstown, owned by a Macquarie-led sponsor group, on the upsizing and amendment of its $534.4 million financing for the approximately 940 megawatt Lordstown Energy Center natural-gas-fueled electric generation facility in Trumbull County, Ohio.
- Represented the lenders, led by Investec, Nomura, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Merchants Bank, in the $369 million financing for Red Oak Power LLC.
- Represented the lenders, led by Credit Agricole and Investec Bank, in the financing of the 644MW Bayonne Energy Center gas-fired power project in New Jersey.
- Represented the lenders, led by MUFG Bank, in a $2.4 billion holding company financing for Freeport LNG which is supported by dividends from Trains 1, 2 and 3 of the Freeport LNG project.
- Represented Brookfield in connection with the US/CAD ~$1.4 billion financing of its acquisition of Canadian natural gas gathering and processing assets from Enbridge.
Prior to joining Kirkland, Rohit’s representative transactions included:
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Represented the lenders in the approximately US$2.3 billion financing of the 1,394 lMW Southland repowering project in Southern California sponsored by The AES Corporation.
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Represented the lenders, Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, ING Capital LLC, Investec Bank PLC and Western Alliance Bank, on the approximately US$123 million back-leverage financing of the 100 MW Mustang solar project located in Kings County, California. The project is expected to produce enough electricity to power approximately 45,000 homes.
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Represented Santander Bank, N.A., as lead arranger and lender, on the financing of the 100 MW Mustang solar project in Kings County, California. The Mustang project benefits from long-term power purchase agreements with two community choice energy aggregators (CCAs) that allow California municipal governments to pool the electricity demand of their communities. The Mustang project is the first project of its size to be financed on the basis of power purchase agreements with CCAs.
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Represented the lead arrangers and lenders for the financing of the 157.5 MW Roserock solar project to be located in Pecos County, Texas. The financing consisted of a construction period credit agreement that provides for a US$63 million construction loan facility, an approximately US$180 million equity bridge loan facility and an approximately US$23 million letter of credit facility, as well as an operating period back-leverage credit facility with a US$63 million term loan facility, and an approximately US$32 million letter of credit facility. Shortly after the closing of the debt transaction, a majority stake in the Roserock project was sold to Southern Power Company.
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Represented KeyBank and CoBank on the debt financing of a solar project in Mississippi being developed by Silicon Ranch Corporation.
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Represented Allianz on the private placement in the financing of the Palouse Wind Project.
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Represented PGGM on the acquisition of cash equity interests in a portfolio of six Solar City tax equity funds and on the structuring of the cash equity partnership with Solar City for this investment.
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Represented an investor on the acquisition of the cash equity interests in a portfolio of tax equity interests owned by JP Morgan in 15 wind projects in the US, and on the structuring of the cash equity partnership with JP Morgan for this investment.
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Represented an investor on the acquisition of the cash equity interests in tax equity interests owned by Credit Suisse in a portfolio of wind projects in the US.
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Represented a consortium, comprised of Macquarie Mexican Infrastructure Fund and other sponsors, on the acquisition, development, financing and partial sale of the approximately US$1 billion, 396 MW Marena wind project in Mexico. The lenders included export credit agencies, multilateral agencies, commercial banks and local development institutions and banks.
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Represented the lenders, led by Deutsche Bank, on a construction revolver and warehousing facility to finance utility scale, commercial scale and residential solar projects developed by SunEdison.
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Represented Macquarie on the sale of its equity interests in a large wind project in the United States.
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Represented Macquarie on the acquisition, and subsequent sale, of a portfolio of solar projects in California.
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Represented Macquarie on the acquisition of equity interests in a portfolio of eleven wind farms across the United States.
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Represented the lenders, led by The Royal Bank of Scotland, on a revolving financing for a portfolio of rooftop solar PV projects owned or to be acquired or developed by Constellation Energy.
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Represented the lenders, led by Union Bank of California, on the financing of a solar PV project in California owned by NRG Energy.
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Represented the lenders on the financing, led by Union Bank of California, on the financing of a solar PV project in New Mexico developed by NRG Energy.
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Represented First Reserve on the acquisition and financing of the Lackawanna Energy Center, a 1,485 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant located in Pennsylvania.
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Represented Macquarie Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition and financing of the Lordstown Energy Center (LEC), a 940 MW combined-cycle gas turbine electric power generation facility.
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Represented Macquarie Infrastructure Partners in connection with its acquisition of Bayonne Energy Center (BEC) from an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners LLC and a subsequent financing for BEC. BEC includes both a 512 MW gas-fired power generation facility located in Bayonne, New Jersey and a 7-mile long transmission cable running beneath the Hudson River connecting the plant to the Consolidated Edison Gowanus substation.
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Represented the lenders in a US$208 million holding company debt financing for Caithness Brookhaven, LLC, which owns 99% of the equity interests in Caithness Long Island, LLC.
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Represented the lenders, including MUFG, GECC and BNP Paribas, on the financing of the US$1 billion, 674 MW Salem Harbor gas-fired power project in Massachusetts.
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Represented the lenders on the US$4 billion financing for Train 2 of the Freeport LNG liquefaction project. The financing won three “IJGlobal Awards” recognizing deals of the year, receiving the “Overall Global,” “North America Oil & Gas” and “Overall North America” awards for 2014.
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Represented the lenders on the US$3.7 billion financing for Train 3 of the Freeport LNG project.
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Represented the lenders, including IFC, ADB, K-sure, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, BNP Paribas, and a syndicate of Indian banks led by the State Bank of India, in connection with the US$4.3 billion project financing of the 4,000 MW Mundra coal-fired ultra mega power project in Gujarat, India, sponsored by Tata Power.
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Represented the senior lenders, led by The Royal Bank of Scotland and Union Bank of California, as joint lead arrangers, on the US$534 million financing of two gas fired peaking power projects in Connecticut developed by GenConn Energy, a joint venture between NRG Energy and The United Illuminating Company.
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Represented the senior lenders, led by Union Bank of California and Santander, on the financing of the 484 MW gas-fired Walnut Creek power project in California sponsored by Edison Mission Energy.
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Represented the lenders committee on the US$1.01 billion restructuring of the debt of Transportadora de Gas del Sur (TGS), the largest gas pipeline company in Argentina.
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Represented The Bank of Nova Scotia and RBC Capital Markets on a financing of a portfolio of four power generation facilities and one coal pulverization facility associated with ArcelorMittal's steel plants in Indiana.
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Represented the borrower on a US$220 million financing for the acquisition and development by Macquarie of a portfolio of landfill gas projects in Rhode Island and California.
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Represented the lenders on a US$275 million financing of a portfolio of three ethanol projects located in the Midwest.
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Represented the lenders on a US$325 million financing of a portfolio of five ethanol projects.
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Represented Duke Energy on an approximately US$300 million financing supported by its Latin American assets.
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Represented Duke Energy on a bridge financing, and a takeout bond financing in Peru.
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Represented the developer on the financing of a 725 MW gas-fired power project located in Louisiana and owned by Mirant and Cleco.
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Represented the lenders committee on the restructuring of the debt of Transportadora de Gas del Norte (TGN), a gas pipeline company in Argentina.
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Represented the lenders on the restructuring of the debt of Aguas Argentinas, a water utility in Argentina.
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Represented the lenders on the restructuring of the debt of Aguas Provinciales de Santa Fe, a water utility in Argentina.
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Advised GE on a preferred equity financing for the acquisition of a power project in Florida.
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Advised GE on a proposed acquisition of a power project in Virginia.
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Represented a commercial bank and institutional lender syndicate in the financing of a 540 MW gas-fired merchant power project located in Connecticut and owned by El Paso.
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Represented the developer on the financing of the 235 MW GVK power project in India, which was one of the “fast track” power projects in India.
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Represented the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Svenska Handelsbanken on the proposed financing of a portfolio of hydro- and thermal power projects in Panama owned by AES.
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Represented the lenders in connection with a credit line to an investment fund that invests in infrastructure projects, and with the restructuring and workout with respect to this credit line.
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Represented a major US developer on the restructuring and proposed securitization of a power contract with a Florida utility.
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Represented the lenders on the financing of the acquisition of two power projects in New Jersey.
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Advised IFC on a proposed financing of an oil and gas field project located in Bangladesh and owned by Unocal.
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Advised IFC on a convertible debt facility to CPFL Energia, a Brazilian holding company.
Prior Experience
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Chadbourne & Parke LLP
More
Thought Leadership
Publications
“TGS Models for Argentina,” Project Finance International, March 2005
Co-author, “APE: An Argentine Tale, Part II,” International Finance and Treasury, February 2005
Co-author, “APE: An Argentine Tale, Part I,” International Finance and Treasury, February 2005
Co-author, “APE — An Argentine Tale,” Project Finance NewsWire, December 2004
Seminars
Moderator, “Is Mexico on the Brink of a New Wave of Solar Development?,” Euromoney’s 9th Annual Mexican Energy and Infrastructure Finance Forum, Mexico City, Mexico, June 25, 2013
Moderator, “Doing Business in Latin America: Developers’ Perspectives,” Infocast’s Solar Power Finance & Investment Summit 2013, San Diego, CA, San Diego, CA, March 18, 2013
Moderator, “Assessing the Role of Commercial and Local Banks in an Increasingly Competitive Project Finance Market,” Euromoney’s 7th Annual Latin American Energy and Infrastructure Finance Forum, Coral Cables, FL, Coral Gables, FL, March 5, 2013
“Financiers’ Perspective on Capital Availability for the Transition,” Infocast’s Power Generation Summit, Washington, D.C., November 3, 2011
“Is India the New Middle East?,” Euromoney’s Project and Infrastructure Finance MENASA conference, Dubai, November 18, 2008
Recognition
Chambers USA, Projects – Nationwide, 2008–2024
Chambers USA, Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy – Nationwide, 2019–2024
Chambers Global, Projects – USA, 2010–2024
Chambers Global, Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy – USA, 2020–2024
Chambers Global, Projects – Latin America, 2020
Chambers Latin America, Projects, 2013–2020
Chambers Asia, Projects & Energy – India, 2010–2014
The Legal 500 U.S., Hall of Fame Lawyer for Project Finance, 2009–2016, 2018–2023, and Energy: Renewable/Alternative, 2009–2016, 2020–2023
The Legal 500 Latin America, Projects and Energy, 2013–2018
IFLR1000, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, Highly Regarded, Project Finance – United States, 2018
Best Lawyers in America, 2010–2014, 2018, 2019
Law360, Project Finance MVPs, 2015, 2018
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
- District of Columbia
Education
- Harvard Law SchoolLL.M.1993
- University of Delhi, Faculty of LawLL.B.1992
- University of Delhi, Hindu CollegeB.A.1989