Sidley represented OnePower, a Sidley Emerging Enterprises client and an innovative social enterprise with deep roots in Lesotho, on Electrification Financing Initiative and Renewable Energy Performance Platform’s LSL 150 million senior debt and equity investment.
The approximately US$9.5 million investment, which has been financed through EU- and UK-owned impact investment facilities, will fund the construction of a portfolio of 11 solar mini-grids in Lesotho with a total capacity of 1.8MW. Once built, the solar mini-grids will provide first-time electricity access to over 20,000 people and enable 13 health clinics, 25 schools, and over 100 small enterprises to benefit from renewable energy.
The Sidley pro bono team was led by Nick Brittain (senior counsel, Global Finance, London) and Nils Gravenhorst (managing associate, Global Finance, London) and included partners Brian A. Bradshaw (Project Finance and Infrastructure, Houston) and Jason Menzies (Tax, London), senior managing associate Eduardo Marquez Certucha (Project Finance and Infrastructure, Houston), and trainee Katherine Williams (London).
