Legal counsel to BNP Paribas Fortis SA/NV and United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in a facility worth US$ 150,000,000 under a non-recourse project finance structure to Luz del León S.A., a special purpose vehicle controlled by YPF Energía Eléctrica S.A, to finance the development and construction of the Cañadón León wind power project for a total 120 MW of generation capacity, located in the Department of Puerto Deseado, Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina.
The transaction is the first non-recourse project financing that will supply electricity under two PPAs: a 20-year PPA with CAMMESA under the RenovAr regime, and a 15-year corporate PPA under the MATER regime, both regimes under Argentina’s renewable energy legal framework. The BNPP part of the facility is guaranteed by Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft (German export credit agency).
The security package for the loan includes (i) a first-priority share pledge over 100% of Luz del León shares; (ii) a first-priority pledge over certain windfarm equipment; and (iii) a security trust for the assignment of all borrower’s receivables under certain project documents.