K&L Gates Advises RATCH-Australia on 226MW Collector Wind Farm

Melbourne – Global law firm K&L Gates has advised power producer RATCH-Australia Corporation Pty Ltd (RATCH) on the 226.8MW wind farm to be constructed on the New South Wales Southern Tablelands, near the town of Collector.

The Collector Wind Farm will be one of the largest wind farm projects in New South Wales. It will consist of 54 wind turbines provided by Vestas, with the capacity to produce enough renewable energy to power 80,000 homes each year over an operating life of 25 years.

Valued at AUD360 million, the project debt is being fully financed by Clean Energy Finance Corporation at AUD180 million. Following the closure of financing arrangements on 24 May 2019, construction began immediately and is expected to be completed by 2021.

The K&L Gates team advising RATCH on the project was led by energy, infrastructure and resources partner Luke Westmore, who was assisted by senior associate Jordan Lyon and lawyers Nicole Guglielmi, Rachel Lawlor and Claudia Brkic. Partner Alan Maclean and senior associate Nick Cerche advised RATCH on project finance, while property advice was provided by partner Samuel Brown with assistance from special counsel Tracey Jordan, senior associate Karen Yuan and lawyer Eleni Brooks. Partner Kirstie Richards and senior associate Larissa Hauser advised on planning aspects of the project, and corporate advice was provided by partner Daniel Atkin, special counsel Clive Cachia and lawyer Rachel McNally.

Westmore said: "After having had the pleasure of advising RATCH on its Mt Emerald Wind Farm project which is now in its first year of operation in Queensland, I congratulate RATCH on beginning another exciting project, its first in New South Wales and its fifth wind farm in Australia. RATCH continues to play a vital role in Australia's renewable energy sector as a major producer of clean energy, and our K&L Gates team is delighted to have been able to support our client on this landmark project."

Anthony Yeates, Executive General Manager Business Development at RATCH, said: "We are extremely proud to reach financial close on the Collector Wind Farm with the assistance of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Once constructed, Collector will be one of the largest wind farms in New South Wales. When you combine our Collector project with the Mt Emerald wind farm and the Collinsville solar project, both of which finished construction in 2018, RATCH will have constructed over 400MW of clean energy over the past few years."