Richard Hill

Partner, London

Biography

Overview

Richard Hill has over 25 years' experience of working on construction and construction related contracts as well as other commercial contracts within the energy, infrastructure and property development sectors.

He advises governments, developers and corporates on procurement strategies, processes and contracts as well as investors, lenders and contractors on projects while in development or operation.

Most recently, he has worked on energy projects in the UK, Europe and North and Sub-Saharan Africa ranging from transmission and distribution assets and the construction or refurbishment of large hydro and thermal power stations to solar projects using various technologies and wind farms onshore and offshore. He has also been heavily involved in advising on successful strategies for settling issues and implementing contract re-structurings for projects which have run into difficulties during their construction and/or operation.  

He is a member of the City of London Solicitors construction law committee and, as well as drafting template and bespoke forms of contract, has written various articles and given various seminars on legal topics relating to construction and energy.

Bars and Courts
England and Wales
Education
University of Westminster
University College London
Inns of Court School of Law
London
Languages
English

Experience

1. Thermal Plant

  • Talimarjan Power Complex, Uzbekistan – advising the government procurer on the tender process and contract terms for the procurement of a 600MW gas fired power station as well as the contract terms for the refurbishment of an existing 400MW plant and for the operation and maintenance of the existing and new facilities to be used by each station within the complex in Uzbekistan;
  • Morupule A Power Station – Refurbishment Project, Botswana - advising Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) in relation to its re-tendering process of the Morupule A Power Station Refurbishment Project;
  • Morupule B – advising the Botswana Power Corporation on the completion, operation and maintenance of this 600MW coal fired power station;
  • Hwange, Republic of Zimbabwe – advising the Zimbabwe Power Corporation on the development and procurement of this 600 coal fired power station in northern Zimbabwe;
  • Benin HFO Plant – advising the sponsor developer consortium on the EPC and operation and maintenance contracts for this 70MW HFO fired power station being developed in Benin;
  • Kivuwatt, Rwanda - advised the developer ContourGlobal on the financing, development and construction of a methane gas extraction and production facility with an associated 25MW power plant on Lake Kivu at Kibuye, Rwanda;
  • Athi River Power Plant - advising the lenders (led by Standard Bank) on this 80MW HFO powered electricity generation plant in Kenya;
  • Tower Power - advising the lenders on the construction aspects of a diesel fired power plant being developed in Nigeria;
  • Tema Osonor Power Project, Ghana - advised the sponsors of this 126MW gas fired independent power project;
  • Ibom Power Plant - advising the sponsors on the contracts for this 100MW gas fired power plant in Nigeria;
  • Stanari - advising Anglo-Swiss power trader Energy Financing Team (EFT), part of EFT Group based in Denmark on the proposed Instruction to Tenderers in relation to TurnKey EPC contract for a 420MW lignite fired thermal power plant and associated mine expansion. EFT is to develop, own and operate the power generation facility located in the Republic of Bosnia;
  • CHP Plants - advising Contourglobal on the construction and operation of various CHP plants now operational in West Africa, Europe and the UK;
  • Cartagena, Spain - advising the developer, AES, on and drafting the construction and operation contracts for a 1200 MW gas fired combined cycle cogeneration plant in Spain;
  • Calenia Power Plant - advising the lenders on their 800MW combined cycle gas fired power plant in Sparanise, Italy;
  • Rye House, Hertfordshire, UK - advising Scottish Power on and negotiating replacement maintenance arrangements for this 400MW power plant constructed and being maintained by Siemens;
  • Independent Power Project, Israel - advising the project company on the construction, operation and maintenance contracts for a gas fired power plant to be constructed in Israel;
  • Fifoots Point Project, UK - advising a subsidiary of the AES Corporation on the contract for the refurbishment of this 400MW coal fired project in Uskmouth, Wales;
  • Centro Energia, Italy - advising the employer entity on the construction and operating contract for this 150MW gas fired power staion in Italy;
  • Enfield Power Station - advising the lenders on this 400MW gas fired power station constructed in Enfield, UK;
  • Bang Bo, Thailand - advising the developer entiy of the EC and operation and maintenance contract for this 300MW gas fired power station;
  • Phu My, Vietnam - advising the developer (owned by EDF) on the splitting of the EPC Contract into onshore and offshore portions;
  • Rousch, Pakistan - advising the lenders on this 400MW dual fuelled power plant in Pakistan;
  • Tynagh IPP - advising the mezzanine lenders on this 400MW power station construction in the Republic of Ireland;
  • Pareh Sar, Iran - advising the developer owned by Falck s.p.a, DSD Dilinger Stahlbau and MAPNA on the development of a 900 MW combined cycle power plant in Northern Iran;
  • Siguiri Mine, Guinea - advising Ashanti Goldfields on the fuel supply agreement and construction and operation agreements for a power station in Siguiri, Guinea;
  • Termoli IPP, Italy - advising Enelpower as the contractor for the construction of this 400MW power plant in southern Italy;
  • Piacenza Repowering Project, Italy - advising Edipower S.p.A as developer of the construction and operation of a 400MW plant in Piacenza, Italy;
  • Tucuman, Argentina - advising the export credit agency SACE on the contracts for this 240MW gas fired power station in Argentina;
  • Saltend Project, UK - advising the lenders on the construction and operating aspects of a 1200MW gas fired co-generation plant near Hull;
  • Taweelah B - advising the consortium chosen to develop this power and desalination plant in Abu Dhabi on the contracts for the refurbishment of existing facilities and the construction of new facilities, the operation and maintenance contracts and the agreements governing the interface between the project and neighbouring plants;
  • Rabigh IWSPP - advising a consortium led by Marubeni on the construction, operation and maintenance aspects of the bid for this facility to provide power, water and steam to a petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia;
  • Marafiq IQPP - advising a consortium bidding for this power and desalination plant to be developed in Saudi Arabia;
  • Ras Laffan Power and Desalination Plant, Qatar advising Enelpower as the contractor on the construction and ancillary contracts in relation to this project in Qatar;
  • Ras Laffan II, Qatar - advising the lenders to a bidder for this 800MW power plant;
  • Poweo CCGT plant, North France - advising lenders on construction and operational maintenance arrangements for a gas fired power plant being constructed by Siemens;
  • Shoreham Project, UK - advising the developer on the construction and operating aspects of a 400MW gas fired co-generation plant; and
  • Barry Power Project, UK - advising the developer AES on the post completion aspects of the construction and operation of the plant.

2. Hydropower 

  • Stielger's Gorge, Tanzania – advising the contractor consortium on the EPC contract for this 2,100MW hydropower project in Selous, Tanzania;
  • Ffestiniog and Dinorwig, UK – advising First Hydro Company on contracts for the replanting and refurbishment of a 360MW pumped storage power plant and the initial phases of the refurbishment of a 1,800MW pumped storage power plant in Wales;
  • Kariba South, Republic of Zimbabwe – advising the Zimbabwe Power Corporation on the development and procurement of this 300MW expansion hydropower project. Biomass, Biofuels and Waste to Energy;
  • 49MW Waste to Energy Plant, Teeside – advising the developer entity on all aspect of the development of this waste fuelled power station in Teeside, UK until sale in 2018;
  • 40MW Port Clarence and Port Talbot biomass plants, UK - advising Deutsche Bank on the construction and servicing agreements in respect of the project financing of these two biomass plants being constructed in Teeside and Port Talbot;
  • Makeni, Sierra Leone - advised a consortium of lenders consisting of FMO, Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund Limited, African Development Bank, DEG, IFC-Debt Pool LLP and the ECA-backed Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited on the construction aspects of an ethanol plant and combined heat and power project in Makeni, Bombali District, Sierra Leone;
  • Ensus Bioethanol Plant - advising the lead arrangers for this plant with an annual capacity of 400 million litres in Teeside, UK;
  • Abengoa Bioethanol Plant, Lacq - advised the lenders on this bioethanol production plant in Lacq, Southern France;
  • Gaiapower - advising the developers on this 49MW biomass fuelled power plant being developed in the North East of England; and
  • Nevis Power Plant - advising the developers on this 49MW biomass fired power plant being developed in Newport, Wales.

3. Oil and Gas 

  • ESN Methanol Plant -JSC Technoleasing in connection with FEED and EPC arrangements for the construction of a Methanol plant in Skovorodino, the Russian Federation;
  • Amur Gas Processing Plant advising NIPIgazpererabotka in connection with the construction of the US$20 billion Amur Gas Processing Plant (including advice regarding the EPC contract) in the Russian Federation;
  • Gaz Metro LNG – advising Gaz Metro on the RFQ documents including the EPC Contract terms and the O&M arrangements for a new gas pretreatment and liquefaction facility being developed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
  • Tornio Manga LNG - advising the successful bidder of the EPC Contract for the LNG facility in northern Finland;
  • Go4LNG – advising an EPC bidder on the terms of its bid for this LNG importation terminal being developed in the port of Gotherburg, Sweden;
  • Songas Gas Processing Plant - advising Songas (a subsidiary of Globeleq) on the expansion of a gas processing plant on the island of Songo Songo, Tanzania;
  • BG Group - advising on the contracts for offshore pipelines and sub-sea facilities for the Trinidad and Tobago north coast and east coast;
  • BP Capital Projects - advising on the terms of its standard forms of Engineer, Procure and Construction Management Contracts;
  • OMV Company - advising on the construction contracts and ancillary contracts for an exploration and pipeline asset in the Republic of Yemen;
  • Marine Fuel, Sharjah – advising Aegean Marine Petroleum on the EPC contracts for a major fuel bunkering asset in Sharjah, UAE;
  • Snamprogetti and Tecnomare - advising on the contractual arrangements for work to be carried out for the Kashagan oil and gas field, Kazakhstan;
  • Northern Gas Networks - advising the Cheung Kong Infrastructure and United Utilities on the outsourcing contract for the operation and maintenance of this gas network in the UK;
  • Gate LNG - advising Dong as share purchaser on the construction aspects of this LNG project in the Netherlands;
  • Rovigo, Italy - advising one of the sponsors on and negotiating the engineering, procurement and construction contracts for an offshore LNG facility in the Adriatic Sea;
  • Neste Bahrain - advising the Finnish oil major Neste on the commercial contracts for this petrochemical plant being developed in Bahrain;
  • Encana - advising Nexen Inc on the construction and operation contracts in place for two oil and gas fields in the North Sea; and
  • Greater EQUATE Project, Kuwait - advising the finance parties on the construction aspects of this integrated petrochemical complex in Kuwait including the upgrade of the existing EQUATE plant and the development of an Olefins plant and Styrene plant.

4. Renewables (Wind)

  • 500MW Wind Farm, Uzbekistan – advising the government entity procurer on the commercial contracts to govern the sale of electricity as well as the oversight of the construction and operation contracts;
  • South African IPP/REFIT Programme - advising various lenders and developers on wind and solar projects being bid and procured as part of the REFIT programme in South Africa;
  • Moyeng Energy (GDF Suez, Investec and Tiso Group), South Africa - advising Moyeng Energy (GDF Suez, Investec and Tiso Group), as sponsor's legal counsel, in relation to various renewable energy projects in South Africa;
  • Hyndburn Wind Farm- advised Nord/LB in relation to the project financing of a 15MW onshore wind farm in the UK;
  • Drone Hill Wind Farm- advised Barclays Corporate on the project financing of a 26MW wind farm project being developed by a subsidiary of the AES Corporation;
  • Earls Hall Farm, Kildrummy and Cotton Farm - advising the lender LBBW on those three onshore wind farms;
  • Hog Jaeren Wind Farm - advising ING, Nordea and EKF on the construction aspects of the 73MW Hog Jaeren project;
  • Carraig Gheal Wind Farm - advised the lender group in relation to the project financing of a wind project in Scotland, including the utilisation of funding available from the European Investment Bank;
  • Kavarna Wind Farm, Bulgaria - advised a consortium (including AES) on this 170MW on-shore wind farm being developed in Bulgaria;
  • Wind Farms, France - advised Innovent on various turbine supply agreements and maintenance agreements for wind farms in France; and
  • Wind Farm, North Rhins, Scotland - advised a subsidiary of the AES Corporation on the turbine supply and maintenance arrangements for this 22MW project in the west of Scotland;

5. Renewables (solar)

  • 370MW Portfolio, Chile – advising the lender and ECA on the contracts for and due diligence in relation to a large portfolio of solar PV projects being developed in Chile;
  • 40 MW Solar PV – advised the sponsor developer consortium on the EPC and operation and maintenance contracts for this 40MW solar PV project being developed in Salima District, Malawi;
  • 100MW Solar and Grid Tied Portfolio - advised Botswana Power Corporation on the procurement of a 100MW solar PV project and a portfolio of 12-15 smaller scale PV plants in Botswana;
  • Project Parabola – advising Deutsche Bank as the lead arranger in relation to the financing for a 40MW solar power project in Hampshire, UK.;
  • Project Oscar – advising Cubico Sustainable Investments on the acquisition of a portfolio of ten solar power projects in the UK which included the drafting and negotiation of template EPC and O&M contracts across the portfolio;
  • Ground-mounted solar project, Rwanda – advising Gigawatt Global on procurement, construction and operation aspects of this 8.5MW ground-mounted solar project in Rwanda, the first utility-scale solar development of its kind in East Africa;
  • Rooftop solar, UK – advising the developer, Empower Solar, on a portfolio of rooftop solar projects in the UK.
  • NOORo II and NOORo III CSP projects, Morocco – advising the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) on all aspects of NOORo II CSP parabolic trough project with a capacity of 200 MW and NOORo III CSP tower project with a capacity of 150 MW.
  • NOORo I solar project, Morocco - advising the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) on all aspects of NOORo I, the Government 160 MW project in Ouarzazate, Morocco.
  • Masen PV1 – advising the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) as procurer on three ground mounted solar projects with a combined capacity of over 200MW;
  • Solar Project Kenya – advising the project developer Alten Solar on the development of a 40MW solar project in Kenya;
  • Abengoa/IDC Ka Xu Solar One CSP - advising Abengoa Solar South Africa (Pty) Limited and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Limited in relation to development, financing, construction, commissioning and operation of the 110MW Poffader 1 Solar Thermal Power Plant; and
  • London Climate Change Agency - advised the LCCA on the contracts for the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of City Hall, London.

6. Batteries and Energy Storage 

  • Richborough Energy Park - advising the developer on all aspects of the development of this 2 x 50MW battery storage project in Sandwich, Kent including offtake arrangements, EPC and O&M contracts and connection agreements with a pipeline of a further 700MW;
  • Battery Storage Project, Finland – advising Neoen on the EPC and O&M tender process and contract terms for this 30MW battery storage project in Finland; and
  • Ffestiniog and Dinorwig, UK – advising First Hydro Company on contracts for the replanting and refurbishment of a 360MW pumped storage power plant and the initial phases of the refurbishment of a 1,800MW pumped storage power plant in Wales,

7. Pipelines and Interconnectors 

  • BG Group, Trinidad and Tobago - advising BG Group on the contracts for offshore pipelines and subsea facilities for the Trinidad and Tobago East Coast Marine Area field;
  • Bluestream Pipeline, Russia/Turkey - advising SACE, JBIC, EID/MITI and ECGD on a US$1.6 billion export credit agency backed loan for the construction of a gas pipeline under the Black Sea between Russia and Turkey;
  • Water Conveyance Project, Iran - advising a contractor consortium consisting of three major Japanese companies on the development and financing of a water pipeline in central Iran;
  • British Waterways Board - advising BWB on various contracts including those related to the waterway giving access to the Olympics site at Stratford and a framework agreement for ongoing capital works;
  • Britned Interconnector - advising Britned Development Limited (owned by National Grid and TenneT) on their 800MW interconnector to run between the Isle of Grain, UK and Maasvlakte, the Netherlands; and
  • Zizabona Interconnection Project, Zambia - advised the project sponsors on the initial documentation for a US$225-million transmission project, which would develop new electricity transmission lines to link four countries (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia).

8. Social Infrastructure

  • Brent Social Housing PFI Project Phase 1 - advising Hyde Housing Association as sponsor, land provider and housing manager of this social housing project in North London;
  • Brent Social Housing PFI Project Phase 2 - advising Hyde Housing Association on the £138 million extension to Phase 1 involving the development of an additional 169 social housing units and the replacement of residential facilities for people with learning difficulties;
  • South Coast Streetlighting - advising the lenders to financial close on the three projects making up this 240 million streetlighting PFI scheme;
  • Nottingham Streetlighting - advising lenders on this £48 million 25 year tenor streetlighting PFI;
  • Camden Social Housing PFI - advising the sponsors of and lenders to this social housing project in North London;
  • Islington Council's PFI Social Housing Scheme 1 - acting for Partners for Improvement in Islington, the project company in this first social housing PFI pathfinder project to reach financial close;
  • Islington Council's Social Housing Scheme 2 - advising the project company and the lenders on the second social housing scheme in Islington;
  • Allenby and Connaught MoD PFI Project - advising Corus as provider of prefabricated housing units on this major defence PFI project;
  • G4S plc - advising G4S plc on the PFI and related contracts held by Global Solutions Limited as well as various security contracts held by Armorgroup Limited purchased by G4S plc;
  • Age Well, Sussex - advising a consortium led by Ryhurst in the bid for this care home PPP project; and
  • Woking Social Housing - advising a consortium led by United House Solutions Limited on this social housing project.

9. Roads

  • Airport Core Programme and Route 3 Hong Kong – advising the government procurement entity on the process for the letting and the finalisation of various contracts for the construction and operation of a number of roads, bridges and tunnels between the airport and the city of Hong Kong.

10. Decommissioning / Remediation

  • Dagenham Dock Ltd (DDL) remediation contract, UK – advising DDL, a subsidiary of Europa Real Estate IV S.a.r.l., on the NEC3 demolition and remediation contract with Carey plc for a 42-acre brownfield site (formerly the Ford stamping and tooling site at Dagenham, Essex).

11. Property Development and Investment 

  • Westfield Shepherds Bush, London – advising Commerz Real as investor on the construction and related contracts for this major shopping centre and its more recent extension;
  • Schroders/WELPUT – advising on the construction contracts and related appointments for the construction and/or refurbishment of various investment properties in central London for its West End of London Property Unit Trust;
  • Nestle – advising this major nutrition, health and well being company on its procurement strategies and contracts for major facilities in the UK and Europe;
  • Brunel Place, Slough – advising the investor on the construction and related contracts for this office development west of London;
  • Brook Street, London – advising a private Singaporean investor on the construction contracts and related agreements for the purchase of this commercial property in Mayfair; and
  • Energy Procurement – advising various landlords, developers and industrials on procurement of power and heat and energy efficiency measures for buildings.
Publications

"The potential for small modular nuclear reactors", Energy Institute, May 2022 (with Daniel Garton, Andrew McDougall KC, Kirsten Odynski, Dipen Sabharwal KC and Vit Stehlik)