About Karla Drinkwater
Karla is a power and utilities industry specialist with longstanding experience in both the private and public sectors (electricity, ports and rail). Karla’s experience includes advising on the following projects:
- NSW Treasury Poles & Wires – on all aspects of the vendor due diligence, transaction structure and implementation of the long term lease of the State’s electricity distribution businesses (Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy).
- Renewable Energy Projects – on the following projects: Stockyard Hill Wind Farm (purchaser and sponsor), Manildra Solar Farm (financiers), Gannawarra Solar Farm (offtaker), Gullen Range Wind Farm (sponsor), White Rock Wind Farm (financiers) and White Rock Solar Farm (sponsor).
- Utility-scale battery projects – TransGrid on its $61.9 million Wallgrove Grid Battery; Shell on its agreements in respect of the Riverina Energy Storage System.
- Power Purchase Agreements – on the offtake arrangements (both ISDA-based, non-ISDA and corporate PPAs) for renewable energy projects in the National Electricity Market.
- Electricity retail – large energy users across the National Electricity Market on their electricity retail arrangements.
- Connection Contracts – generator and customer connection agreements in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
- National Energy Market participants – on:
- regulatory requirements, including obtaining new registrations and transferring existing registrations under the National Electricity Rules;
- registration and compliance under the RET scheme;
- the network connection and compliance requirements of generators in the National Electricity Market; and
- demand curtailment agreements.
- Queensland Treasury – on the restructuring and divestment of:
- the Abbot Point Coal Terminal;
- Queensland Rail, and the subsequent QR National IPO;
- the Wind Farm assets of Stanwell and Tarong Energy (5 operating wind farms and 14 development sites across Australia); and
- the Enertrade gas merchant and Tarong gas pipeline assets.