Lynne E. Gedanken

Partner

Practice Description

Lynne Gedanken, a Washington, D.C.- and London-based partner, has worked in the electricity sector for over 25 years. Ms. Gedanken advises private companies and governmental entities on matters relating to the privatization of utility assets and systems, and tenders for existing companies, assets and greenfield projects. She also advises developers and lenders with respect to the full range of project, equity and loan agreements for and the structuring of independent power projects.

Ms. Gedanken has worked on projects in over 35 countries with a recent focus on Africa, Europe and the Middle East. She has worked on transactions involving private sector financing, as well as financing provided by multilateral institutions, export credit agencies and development finance institutions. Ms. Gedanken has represented several large industrial corporations in negotiating contracts and rate schedules relating to their electricity needs, as well as providing counsel on alternative approaches for meeting those needs. She negotiates transactions in English and French.

Representative Matters

• Advising the sponsors of the Bujagali hydroelectric project in Uganda in connection with the financing of that project. 
• Representing Office National de l’Electricit́e, the national electric utility of Morocco, in connection with a tender for an IPP project. 
• Representing a bidder in connection with the tender for the Amman East Power Project, a 280 to 400 (MW) dual-fueled combined cycle power plant. 
• Representing a consortium of Globeleq Limited and Eskom Enterprises in connection with the concession for the electricity distribution system in Uganda. 
• Representing AES Kyivoblenergo and AES Rivineoblenergo, two Ukrainian electricity distribution companies in connection with the financing, by the International Finance Corporation, of their capital investment programs. 
• Advising Newmont Mining Corporation in connection with the power supply arrangements for the Ahafo gold mine in Ghana. 
• Advised CDC Globeleq on the acquisition of the Kelvin Power Project in South Africa and the Songo Songo Gas to Electricity project in Tanzania. 
• As lead attorney, advised Carthage Power Company, a Tunisian company owned by affiliates of Marubeni Corporation, PSEG Global and Sithe Energies, Inc., in connection with the development and financing of the $260 million Radès II Power Project, a 471MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant that is the first IPP in Tunisia. 
• As lead attorney in a team, advised the Government of Israel regarding a tender for an independent power project in that country, including advising the Government of Israel on the formulation of necessary regulations and contracts for IPPs. 
• Advised AES Kelvin Power, the buyer of the first privatized power project in South Africa on the acquisition and financing of the project. 
• Advised a subsidiary of AES on the acquisition of a 270MW barge-mounted power station in Nigeria. 
• Senior legal advisor to a company bidding in the privatization of Senelec, the integrated electric utility in Senegal. 
• Advised the state government of Victoria, Australia, on matters relating to the privatization of its gas utility system through a divestiture of assets. 
• Advised a subsidiary of AES on the development of the Sapele ROT project in Nigeria. 
• Advised AES Corporation on the acquisition through a privatization of the 4000MW Ekibastuz Gres I power project in Kazakhstan. 
• Represented a UK investment fund in connection with the proposed acquisition of an Estonian electricity distribution company. 
• Represented clients in the United States in state and federal regulatory proceedings and counsels clients on electric regulatory matters.

Honors

Activities and Affiliations

Publications

Speeches and Events

Ms. Gedanken has spoken and led seminars on topics including the financeability of power projects, issues and risk allocation in power purchase contracts, transfer conditions in BOT contracts, electric transmission issues, and rate design.