Aviator Wind, the Largest Single-Phase, Single-Site Wind Project in the U.S., Named One of Five Finalists for M&A Deal of the Year

Energy/Infrastructure/Projects team partner Mona E. Dajani together with Renewables Co-Chair (with Mona Dajani) partner Jorge Medina in Los Angeles and Energy/Infrastructure/Projects partner Michael Reese in New York, represented CMS Enterprises in the purchase of the majority 51 percent stake in Aviator Wind Holdings, LLC, from Ares Management Corp.’s Infrastructure and Power division.

Located in Northwest Texas, Aviator Wind, once operational, will be the largest single phase wind project in the ERCOT area and the largest single-phase, single-site onshore wind project in the U.S. It is expected to include 191 wind turbines and a total power output of approximately 525 MW. The project has corporate power purchase agreements in place with Facebook and McDonald’s USA.

Power Finance & Risk previously noted that the deal was “impressive” while “every aspect was deftly executed” even while the parties “navigated pandemic related turbulence." The magazine also highlighted the project’s power purchase agreements with Facebook and McDonald’s, together with its capital stack comprised of “construction and back-levered debt and tax equity ahead of closing on the acquisition.”

In addition to Mona Dajani, Jorge Medina and Michael Reese, the core multi-disciplinary Pillsbury deal team included partners Jonathan Whitney, Glenn Richards, Dana Proud Newman and Ted Powers; senior counsel Russell DaSilva; special counsel Reza Zarghamee, Lee Petro, Laura Jennings Ochoa; counsel Shellka Arora-Cox and Drew Navikas; associates Meghan Claire Hammond and Danielle Unterschutz; and attorney Evan Storm.  

The deal, which was also previously recognized by Infrastructure Investor magazine as its Renewables Deal of the Year (North America) closed in July 2020. To read more about the Aviator transaction, see here. 

Pillsbury’s multidisciplinary energy team includes more than 200 lawyers who work across all sectors of the industry. The firm consistently ranks among the top law firms in highly respected league tables.

Pillsbury’s Energy/Infrastructure/Projects team represents clients on the project development, project finance, acquisition and disposition, day-to-day operations and restructurings of complex energy, infrastructure, digital mobility and industrial projects. Possessing wide-ranging legal knowledge across the power industry, from renewables (wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass, biofuel, geothermal, energy storage) to gas-fired and other thermal, to nuclear generation and transmission to oil and gas, mining and commodities and infrastructure, Pillsbury’s lawyers have worked on every aspect of complex projects in 75 countries across six continents.