Energy Sector

The energy sector is an engine of African growth and an area where US and Africa enjoy longstanding and profitable ties. KearneyAfrica serves its public and private sector energy cients from oil and gas discovery and development to power delivery and beyond.

Our broad and very extensive Energy Sector experience includes work with the following clients:

Eskom Enterprises/Pebble Bed Modular (Nuclear) Reactor Co.

Key KearneyAfrica team members were part of the co-lead advisory team with JPMorgan engaged by South Africa’s nuclear company PBMR, in its initial development of a financing strategy for manufacturing and marketing modular reactors internationally. The team of advisors canvassed international nuclear agencies and nuclear companies as well as financial institutions to analyze the prospects of PBMR developing the modular plants as proposed. That advisory team developed a white paper on the financeability of the project.

GEPetrol

Our team members have been long term counsel for GEPetrol, the national oil company of Equatorial Guinea, and its predecessors. Most recently, Mr. Kearney advised this entity in its $2.4-billion buy-back of oil producing concessions and related facilities from Devon Oil of Houston.

Central Energy Fund

Acted as co-counsel with South African counsel to the Central Energy Fund (a public South African petroleum investment company) in share and participation in the financing and development of a gas pipeline from the Pande Field in Mozambique to the refining area of Sasol, CEF’s joint venture partner.

Akiira I Geothermal Project/Kenya

Legal Advisor to Akiira One Geothermal Company Limited, one of the shareholders in Akiira I Geothermal Project which is a 35MW IPP located outside Naivasha, Kenya, in the Akiira I geothermal prospect (an area of about 120 km²), adjacent to Kenya’s principal area of existing geothermal production, the Olkaria site. Key Tasks Included:

Volta River Authority

Mr. Kearney was among the lead lawyers for a number of years as outside general council to Volta River Authority’s (a Ghanaian state-owned electricity utility) multi-faceted enhancement of electricity capacity. The team was the lead advisor in the multi-billion dollar phased development of new power plants and provided the structuring and documentation of the project’s financing.

NamPower Corporation

Acted as lead outside counsel to NamPower’s (Namibia’s state owned power company) initiative to utilize Namibia’s offshore gas reserves to substantially increase the country’s power capacity.

Uganda Electricity Board

Advised the Uganda Privatization Unit in the sale of a portion of the electricity producer, Uganda Electricity Board to a regional power company. Assisted in partial divestiture of electricity generating assets to a private sector operator and advised on the terms of the sale and on the efficacy of the financing of the transaction.