Matt advises on energy and infrastructure projects in the United States and internationally, with a practice centered on project finance and development transactions. He represents governments, utilities, developers, and financial institutions in structuring, negotiating, and closing transactions, both in established U.S. sectors and in jurisdictions where legal frameworks are still developing.
In the United States, Matt has advised on domestic solar project development and transactions, as well as nuclear loan guarantee applications before federal energy regulators; nuclear liability, spent fuel storage, and decommissioning matters; wholesale electricity market settlements and tariff revisions; a $620 million acquisition of Gulf Coast chemical storage terminals; and transportation infrastructure design-build contracts spanning airports, roads, bridges, and highways across multiple states. His practice covers the full life cycle of a project: development, privatization, restructuring, and financing.
Matt complements this domestic work with substantial international experience, including hydroelectric projects in the Balkans and the Caucasus, gas-to-power developments in Southern Africa, and subsea fiber optic networks connecting three continents. His practice combines transactional and regulatory work: he drafts the agreements that anchor major projects — engineering, procurement and construction agreements; power purchase agreements; fuel supply agreements; lease and land rights agreements; and government guarantees — and advises on energy laws, licensing regimes, and regulatory frameworks.
Solar, Wind and BESS
- Representation of an international finance institution in connection with multiple utility scale solar and wind projects in Africa.*
- Representation of a U.S. company in connection with a combined wind and solar energy project selling into the Spanish power market.*
- Representation of a U.S. company on the development of multiple solar projects across the U.S.*
- Representation of an international finance institution in connection with utility scale wind projects in the Caribbean.*
- Representation of a sponsor in the development of a 60 MW solar and battery energy storage project in a U.S. territory *
- Representation of a solar project development company in the acquisition of more than fifty renewable energy projects in the southwestern U.S.*
- Representation of a developer on the development of multiple solar + BESS + gas-fired generation facilities that will supply energy to mini-grids in the Caribbean.*
- Representation of an East African country in connection with the development of the legal and contractual framework for the deployment of BESS systems.*
Hydroelectric Power
- Representation of the government of a country in the South Caucasus region and an international financial institution on the development of a major hydroelectric power project.*
- Representation of an international financial institution and the government of a Balkan country in connection with the development of a multi-hundred-megawatt cascade of hydroelectric power plants.*
Natural Gas & Gas-to-Power
- Representation of a national electricity utility of a Southern African country on the expansion of a gas processing facility linked to an integrated gas-to-power project, including negotiation of key commercial agreements and tariff mechanisms.*
- Representation of a national electricity utility of a Southern African country on the conversion of a heavy oil-fired independent power project to natural gas, including related dispute and arbitration matters.*
- Representation of the government of a Southern African country on the development of a gas-to-electricity project involving upstream gas production, pipeline infrastructure, and power generation facilities.*
Oil & Gas Regulatory
- Representation of a multilateral development bank and the government of a country in East Africa on an evaluation of oil and gas legislation across Africa and the development of a modern and competitive legal, regulatory, and fiscal framework for the country based on international and regional best practices.*
- Representation of the government of a Southern African country in its effort to strengthen and improve the institutional and regulatory framework for the oil and gas sector.*
Nuclear
- Representation of applicants in connection with loan guarantee applications to a U.S. federal energy agency for new nuclear power plants.*
- Representation of utilities and suppliers concerning nuclear legal liability structures in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.*
- Representation of suppliers on spent nuclear fuel storage and nuclear decommissioning issues.*
Conventional Power Generation & Electricity Markets
- Representation of the government of a Balkan country on the development of a large-scale new power generation project.*
- Representation of a national electricity utility on the development of a large combined-cycle power plant, including drafting project agreements (power purchase agreement, fuel supply agreement, lease agreement, and government guarantee), advising on tender processes, and negotiating with the preferred bidder.*
- Representation of a major utility responsible for administering a wholesale electricity market in connection with settlements and tariff revisions for transmission congestion contracts.*
- Representation of a U.S. industry association and the government of a country in East Africa on a steam supply agreement assessment.*
Other Infrastructure (Non-Energy)
- Storage & Terminals: Representation of a global terminal operator and a global asset manager in the formation of a joint venture infrastructure platform, and then in the platform’s subsequent purchase of three chemical storage terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast for $620 million.*
- Telecommunications: Representation of an international telecommunications infrastructure developer on the development, financing, and operation of a subsea fiber optic network linking major cities across East Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, including a ~15,000 km undersea cable connecting Africa to India and Europe, a transaction recognized by industry awards for African telecom infrastructure finance.*
- Telecommunications: Representation of the government of a Balkan country on matters relating to the privatization of a national telecommunications operator.*
- Water & Sanitation: Representation of a government entity and an international financial institution on upgrading the legal and regulatory framework governing a national water and sanitation sector, including the creation of sector regulatory institutions.*
- Transportation: Representation of a private sector client on a series of transportation infrastructure design-build contracts, including airport runways, roads, bridges, and highway projects across multiple U.S. states ranging from approximately $10 million to $150 million per project.*
- Agriculture: Representation of major project developers in connection with the development of agreements related to sustainable palm oil and agricultural commodity plantations across multiple jurisdictions in West Africa.*
*The above matters were handled by Mr. Stuart prior to joining McGuireWoods LLP.