Helena Buitrago
Biography
Overview
Helena is an associate in the Energy, Infrastructure, Project and Asset Finance Practice. At White & Case, Helena completed a client rotation at Pfizer as well as an international rotation in Paris.
Helena graduated from Harvard Law School, where she served on the boards of Harvard Association for Law and Business and Harvard Business Law Review. During law school, she participated in the International Human Rights Clinic, collaborating with non-governmental organizations to promote humanitarian disarmament and interpret the provisions of the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. She also completed a clinical rotation at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in Melbourne, Australia.
Since joining White & Case, Helena's practice has focused on secured debt financing and cross-border financial transactions involving commercial and development banks.
Experience
Helena has represented:
- The placement agent and purchasers in connection with the US$290 million purchase and sale of notes issued by Matrix Renewables Chile SpA, the proceeds of which will be used to finance a 328 MW portfolio of PMGD projects in Chile. The notes were issued in the form of a private placement under Section 4(a)(2) and Regulation D of the Securities Act. BNP Paribas acted as placement agent for the transaction.
- Alfa Desarrollo SpA, a consortium controlled by APG Energy and Infra Investments, S.L.U. and Celeo Redes, S.L.U., as borrower and issuer, in the structuring and closing of the senior secured financing for the acquisition of Colbún Transmisión, S.A. by Alfa. The transaction value is approximately US$1.3 billion. The acquisition will include the transfer of 899 kilometers of transmission lines and 27 substations that Colbún Transmisión, S.A. operates in the Chilean Sistema Eléctrico Nacional (National Electric System), representing approximately 5 percent to the total transmission market in Chile.
- The Bank of Nova Scotia, KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, ING Capital LLC, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and Instituto de Crédito Oficial E.P.E. as lenders and issuing banks and MUFG Bank Ltd., as administrative agent and intecreditor agent in connection with the non-recourse first/second lien project financings of: (i) the US$217 million financing for a 235 MW wind farm owned and operated by Ibereólica Cabo Leones II S.A. located in Atacama, Chile and (ii) the US$103.2 million financing for a 101MWp solar PV power plant, owned and operated by GPG Solar Chile 2017 SpA located in Antofagasta, Chile.
- A group of independent power generators in Chile, including Aela Generación, Cerro Dominador, Chungungo, Empresa Eléctrica Carén, GM Holdings and Santiago Solar, in connection with closing a receivables purchase and sale facility to monetize receivables with a face value of approximately US$185 million.
- Braskem Idesa, S.A.P.I., the owner and operator of the US$5.2 billion Etileno XXI petrochemical complex in Veracruz, Mexico, on the refinancing of its approximately US$1.35 billion project finance debt.
- Atlas Renewable Energy, as sponsor, and certain of its affiliates, as borrower and guarantors, in connection with a breakthrough US Dollar financing the proceeds of which will be used to develop the 187 MWp New Juazeiro solar power project in Brazil.
- Invenergy in connection with the US$657 million financing of the EDP LNG-to-power project at the Port of Acajutla, El Salvador. The financing is being provided by DFC (formerly OPIC), IFC, IDB Invest, Finnvera and KFW IPEX-Bank GmbH.
- The sponsor in connection with the development and financing of renewable power projects in Brazil and Mexico.
