Law Firm Advises Abu Dhabi Agency on Sewage Treatment Project
Dewey & LeBoeuf has advised the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, the emirate-owned provider of water and electricity, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company, on the development of two greenfield sewage treatment plants, one located at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi and the other at Al Saad, Abu Dhabi, according to a June 18 press release.
The transaction is one of the first wastewater treatment Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) projects in the Middle East. As such, the transaction terms ensure that the sewerage service takes possession of operationally viable plants at the end of the 25-year term. This aspect of the project required careful adjustment of the typical risk allocation for projects in the region.
The transaction team was led by partner James Simpson who was supported by counsel Karen Goepfert and associates Alice Ruddenklau, Andrew Nosworthy, and Martin Skehill. All are based in the London office.
"This is the latest in a series of major infrastructure projects that the firm has completed in the Middle East, bolstering our position as a major player in the market," Simpson said. "Our pioneering work in the water and wastewater sectors, which are of particular importance to the Middle East, are proof of our ongoing commitment to the region."
The foreign sponsors of this project are a consortium of Biwater of the United Kingdom and Kharafi National of Kuwait. Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP advised the foreign sponsors and Clifford Chance LLP represented the banks.
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP is a full-service law firm, providing legal counsel throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States.