About Melissa Keane
Melissa specialises in foreign investment projects, sales and acquisitions and project developments, with particular emphasis on the energy sector and large-scale infrastructure, power and renewables projects and contracts with governments.
Melissa's relevant experience includes advising:
- Bangkok Bank Limited – on the financing of two solar power projects and wind power project in Vietnam.
- Mainstream Renewable Power – on its Australian market entry including potential acquisitions of a wind project and a renewables portfolio; on the Vietnamese aspects of the sale of its global portfolio of renewable assets; on its investment in a number of solar power projects in the Central Highlands in Vietnam; and on various aspects of its early stage offshore wind projects.
- Ørsted – on its market entry into Vietnam, including the establishment of its representative office and local subsidiary, and queries in relation to employment, anti-corruption, and the offshore wind permitting process.
- A Malaysian renewable developer – on the potential acquisition of a number of renewable asset opportunities in Vietnam, including an offshore wind project and a floating solar project, as well as advising on rooftop solar project structures.
- An Australian investment group – on a number of its renewable investments in Vietnam.
- GE Vietnam – on various regulatory issues and contracts (including turbine supply and installation and maintenance) and its acquisition of a local company operating wind power projects in Vietnam.
- An international investment group – leading due diligence on the project company of a waste-to-energy project in Vietnam for the purpose of financing.
- LNG to Power project investors – on their potential investments in integrated LNG to power projects in Vietnam (including in relation to projects in Hai Phong, Bac Lieu, Ca Na, and Long Son).
- A foreign bidder – on an acquisition of a portfolio of renewable assets across the region, including in Vietnam, in conjunction with Linklaters.
- A Japanese glass manufacturer – on various corporate issues including establishment of a joint venture in Vietnam to produce low iron silica sand for use in production of solar panels.
- An international investment group – on their development of Block B/52 project in Vietnam, including advising on the Government Guarantee and Undertaking.
- A Japanese electric utility – on its potential investments in pumped hydro projects in Australia.
- AGL Energy – on the divestment of its digital metering business, Active Stream; the financing and sale of its 50 per cent interest in the 420MW Macarthur Wind Farm; as well as on a range of regulatory and commercial issues in connection with its retail business, new energy initiatives and operation of its assets.
- The AEMC and AEMO – on interpretation and application of various provisions in the National Electricity Law.
- Pacific Hydro – on its project financing for the Portland Wind Farm, including review and negotiation of the offtake arrangements.
- ERM Power – on its bid in the NSW State Government privatization of Macquarie Generation including review of the electricity supply arrangements for the Tomago Aluminium smelter.
- One of the bidders – on the sale of Acumen, Origin Energy's metering business.
- Renewable energy generators, such as Bald Hills Wind Farm, Biala Wind Farm, Gullen Range Wind Farm and White Rock Solar Farm, on their connection arrangements in Australia.
- Octopus Investments – on its acquisition of a 275MW greenfield solar farm development in Australia in partnership with Edify Energy.
- Orora Packaging – on its corporate PPA arrangements with the owners of the Lal Lal wind farm in Australia and Nephila Climate.
- Corporate clients – on the terms of their corporate PPAs with renewable energy generators.
- Major energy retailers including Origin Energy, Alinta Energy and Powershop – on compliance with consumer protections such as those relating to hardship processes and life support, and other obligations to customers under the National Energy Retail Rules and the ESC’s Energy Retail Code.
- Other energy retailers including Tango Energy, ERM Power and Lumo – on their metering arrangements, market retail contracts, and obligations to customers under the National Energy Retail Rules and the ESC's Energy Retail Code.
- Snowtown 2 Wind Farm – for a bidder in relation to a bid for the Snowtown 2 Wind Farm in Australia, with a primary focus on the offtake arrangements.
- Tango Energy – in relation to its whole of retail business legal requirements, including in connection with its customer complaints process, channel partner arrangements, retail customer documentation including standard and market retail contracts, regulatory advice, as well as review of call scripts and advertising materials.
- Multinational company – as offtaker on the negotiation and development of a built for purpose wind and solar renewable project in Mongolia.
- Rio Tinto and Oyu Tolgoi LLC – on the construction of a coal fired power station under an IPP model to support its copper/gold project in Mongolia and the associated long term power purchase agreement.
- a consortium of investors including Engie and Sojitz – on its contracts with the Mongolian government to develop a power plant in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- Daewoo International – on a number of its existing and greenfield power plant projects in Papua New Guinea.
- the investors in the Vung Ang II power project (China Light & Power and Mitsubishi Corporation) – on all legal aspects of their investment in a 1200MW greenfield coal-fired power plant in Vietnam including the power purchase agreement between the investors and the Vietnamese Government.
- the sponsors of the Nghi Son Refinery Project (including Idemitsu) – on the US$5 billion ECA led project financing of this US$9 billion Vietnamese project awarded PFI's Petrochemical Deal of the Year 2013.
- Qantas – on its partnership with Vietnam Airlines in Jetstar Pacific.
- Commonwealth Bank of Australia – on its acquisition of a foreign strategic interest in Vietnam International Bank.
- Foreign companies – looking to set up businesses and conduct investments in Australia, Japan and Vietnam.
As well as working in the firm’s Melbourne and Hanoi offices, Melissa was seconded to Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, one of Japan's leading law firms in Tokyo from 2006 to 2008.
Melissa has very strong spoken and written Japanese language skills.