Benjamin Koenigsberg

Co-head of Projects, United States
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP

New York
United States
T:+1 212 408 8021
New York
United States
T:+1 212 408 8021
Benjamin Koenigsberg

Benjamin Koenigsberg

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Biography

Benjamin concentrates his practice on project development, financings, hedge transactions, acquisitions and sales relating to complex power, LNG, natural gas, pipeline, transportation and other infrastructure projects. He regularly represents sponsors, international lenders, lead arrangers and underwriters, private equity funds and other investors in limited recourse financings, privatizations, debt restructurings, lease transactions and structured equity investments. Benjamin's work in the energy sector ranges from renewable to conventional power and he has experience with projects throughout the US, Latin America and Israel.


Professional experience

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JD, Fordham University School of Law, 2001
BA, magna cum laude, University of Maryland, 1997

  • New York State Bar
  • Represented Novis Renewables, a joint venture between Falck Renewable North America and Eni New Energy US Inc., with respect to the development of the 200 MW Brazoria County solar project in Texas.
  • Represented Macquarie Capital's Green Investment Group on the tax equity financing for the 200 MWac Brazoria West solar project being developed in Brazoria County, Texas and the simultaneous sale of the project to Shikun & Binui (S&B).
  • Represented 7X Energy, Inc. on the debt and tax equity financing for its 250 MW Taygete Solar Project in Pecos County, Texas.
  • Represented the lenders in connection with the construction financing to a subsidiary of Algonquin Power Fund (America) Inc. for the Maverick Creek wind project, a 525.4 MW nameplate capacity wind project in Concho County, Texas.
  • Represented the lenders in connection with an acquisition financing to support the purchase by Fengate Capital Management from Calpine Corporation of the Freeport Energy Center gas-fired power plant. 
  • Represented Fengate Capital Management in the acquisition and tax equity financing of a majority interest in the 250 MW Amadeus wind project located in Fisher, Kent and Stonewall Counties, Texas.
  • Represented the lenders in connection with the US$319 million construction and backleverage financing of the 200 MW Prevailing Wind project in South Dakota.
  • Representing the sponsor in connection with the tax equity and construction and back leverage financing for two wind projects totalling approximately 250 MW.
  • Representing sponsors in connection with the build and transfer of multiple renewable energy projects that will be sold at completion.
  • Represented Orsted North America Inc. in connection with the US$580 million acquisition of Lincoln Clean Energy, a US-based onshore wind farm developer.
  • Represented Orsted North America Inc. in its US$510 million acquisition of Deepwater Wind Holdings.
  • Represented the lender in connection with the financing of a 20 MWac solar project being developed by Hecate Energy Cherrydale and a 10 MWac solar project being developed by Hecate Energy Clarke County Energy.
  • Represented the lender in connection with the debt financing of Apex Clean Energy's 217 MW renewable portfolio deal, which consists of the 50.4 MW Cotton Plains Wind and 151.2 MW Old Settler Wind projects under construction in Floyd County, Texas, and the 15.4 MW Phantom Solar facility under construction at US Army Garrison Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.
  • Represented the lenders in a US$216 million construction loan and letter of credit facility for the 151 MW Grant Wind Project to be located in Grant County, Oklahoma. Apex Clean Energy is the sponsor and a subsidiary of Southern Power has agreed to acquire the project at completion.
  • Represented a syndicate of 31 commercial banks and other financial institutions in connection with the US$11.5 billion senior debt financing for the Corpus Christi LNG Project, located on the La Quinta Channel in San Patricio County, Texas. The project is sponsored by affiliates of Cheniere Energy, Inc. with additional equity investment from EIG Global Energy Partners.
  • Represented the lenders on the financing of the Block Island Wind Farm, the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. The 30 MW project off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island will generate over 125,000 MWh annually, enough to power over 17,000 homes.
  • Represented the lenders in a US$222 million construction loan for the 150 MW Border Winds project in Rolette County, North Dakota and a US$286 million construction loan for the 200 MW Pleasant Valley Wind project in Mower and Dodge Counties, Minnesota.
  • Sabine Pass Liquefaction, Phase II. Represented the lenders in connection with the US$6 billion Phase II financing of the US$12 billion, four-train Sabine Pass LNG liquefaction and export project located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The Project is sponsored by Cheniere Energy Partners, with additional equity investment from the Blackstone Group. Upon completion, the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal will be the world's first LNG terminal with dual capacity to import and regasify LNG and liquefy natural gas and export LNG.
  • Sabine Pass Liquefaction, Phase I. Represented the lenders in connection with the US$3.6 billion Phase I financing for the first two LNG trains at the Sabine Pass LNG Liquefaction and Export Project. The transaction was named 2012 Deal of the Year, Americas by Project Finance International, and 2012 Overall North America Deal of the Year by Project Finance magazine.
  • Sabine Pass LNG. Represented Credit Suisse and HSBC as initial purchasers of Sabine Pass LNG's US$420 million Senior Secured Notes due 2020, and Credit Suisse as dealer/manager in connection with a concurrent US$550 million tender offer for Sabine Pass LNG's outstanding 7.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2013.
  • Represented a group of domestic and international lenders in the US$1.5 billion senior secured debt financing for the Ruby Pipeline Project, an approximately US$3 billion greenfield natural gas pipeline sponsored by El Paso Corporation and Global Infrastructure Partners.
  • Represented the lenders to Elba Express Pipeline, a greenfield natural gas pipeline transporting regasified LNG from the Elba LNG receiving terminal to interconnection points with the Transco pipeline system.
  • Represented Siemens Financial Services, Inc. in connection with the financing of Cannon Power Corporation's Windy Flats 262 MW wind project located in Klickitat County, Washington. The project structure contemplates a cash grant from the US government.
  • Represented a lead arranger in the financing of a concession and long-term lease of parking garages and parking meters located in a major city in the United States.
  • Represented an administrative agent and lenders in connection with the construction and term loan financing of one of the largest wind energy portfolios in the United States.
  • Represented GE Energy Financial Services in its partnership with and equity contribution to a subsidiary of Enel SpA (Italy's largest power company), which will construct, own and operate the largest wind towers in the United States, to be located in Scurry County, Texas and Smoky Hills, Kansas.
  • Represented Ad Hoc Committee of bondholders in the restructuring of a private placement offering provided to a company contracted to paint Jeep Wranglers for DaimlerChrysler's US$2.1 billion supplier park located in Toledo, Ohio.
  • Represented Union Bank of California in a working capital revolving facility to Aquila, Inc. secured by proceeds of sales by subsidiaries of Aquila, Inc. in two electric generating facilities located in Illinois.
  • Represented FPL Energy, LLC and Carlyle/Riverstone in a permanent financing with respect to their acquisition of partnerships which own five solar power electric generating systems in the Mojave Desert.
  • Represented Credit Suisse in a US$275 million 144A debt offering issued by a subsidiary of The Delek Group in connection with the financing of the Yam Tethys gas production platform located off-shore Israel.
  • Represented a sponsor in connection with the construction of two cattle waste-to-energy electric generating projects to be located in Imperial County, California.
  • Represented a lender in connection with a sale leaseback acquisition financing of a 120 MW  natural gas fired cogeneration facility located in King City, California.
  • Represented Union Bank of California in the refinancing of AIG Highstar Capital LP's acquisition of a 6,000-mile gas pipeline and compression stations located in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Wyoming and Colorado.
  • Represented Dexia Crédit Local, New York Branch, with respect to its appointment as agent and acquisition of a portion of loans made in connection with the financing of two coal-fired generating facilities located in North Carolina.
  • Represented various lenders in connection with the sale of a natural gas and steam cogeneration facility located in Indiana.
  • Represented The AES Corporation in connection with the sale of a gas-fired power project located in Colombia.
  • Represented General Electric Capital Corporation in the acquisition of a portion of loans made to two power projects located in New Jersey.
  • Represented Overseas Private Investment Corporation, as co-lender with U.S. Eximbank, in connection with the financing of the 469 MW gas-fired Araucaria power project located in Brazil.
  • Represented The AES Corporation in the development and financing of a 730 MW gas-fired half merchant/half contracted generating project located in Texas.

 

  • Chambers USA, USA - Nationwide, Projects, Chambers and Partners, 2008 – 2023
  • Chambers USA, USA - Nationwide, Projects: Renewables and Alternative Energy, Chambers and Partners, 2019 – 2023
  • Chambers USA, USA - Nationwide, Projects: LNG, Chambers and Partners, 2021 – 2022
  • Chambers Global, Projects (USA), Chambers and Partners, 2016 – 2023
  • Chambers Global, Projects: LNG, Chambers and Partners, 2022 – 2023
  • Chambers Global, Projects: Renewables and Alternative Energy (USA), Chambers and Partners, 2020 – 2023
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2023
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Renewable/ alternative power, The Legal 500, 2023
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Project finance, The Legal 500, 2018 – 2023
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Energy Regulation: Conventional Power, The Legal 500, 2019 – 2022
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Energy: Transactions: Conventional Power, The Legal 500, 2019 – 2023
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Project Finance and Energy: Renewable / Alternative Power, The Legal 500, 2016, 2019 – 2021
  • The Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Energy Litigation: Oil and Gas, The Legal 500, 2021
  • The Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer, Project finance and Energy: renewable / alternative power, The Legal 500, 2020
  • The Legal 500, Leading Lawyer, Energy: renewable and alternative powers, The Legal 500, 2022 - 2023 
  • IFLR 1000 – United States, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, 2019 – 2021
  • Energy MVPs, Law360, 2015
  • "Financing US Offshore Wind," US Offshore Wind 2017, Long Island, NY, May 8, 2017
  • Renewable Energy in New York State," New York, NY, April 6, 2017
  • "Successful Financing Strategies for Offshore Wind Development," US Offshore Wind 2016, Boston, MA, May 11, 2016
  • "Financiers' Perspectives on Financing Offshore Wind in the EU vs. in the US," North American Offshore Wind Development & Finance Summit, New York, NY, June 17-18, 2015
  • "2nd Annual North American Midstream Infrastructure Finance Forum," April 29 – 30, 2014
  • "Floating LNG 2013," London, UK, June 11 – 13, 2013
  • "Return of the Term Loan B," Moderator, The 8th Annual US Power & Renewable Finance Conference, New York, NY, February 14, 2013
  • Moderator, "LNG Exports - The Rising Star on the Energy Horizon and a Driving Force of Making North America a Leading Player in the Global Gas Market," North America Gas Summit, Washington, DC, November 13, 2012
  • "Structuring the Project as a Synthetic Lease," Project Finance: The Tutorial, New York, NY, July 21, 2009
  • Moderator, "Financing Community Wind: Equity and Developers Panel," Community Wind Energy 2008 Conference, Albany, NY, April 14, 2008
  • Hebrew

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