Richard P. Puttré
Partner
Chair, Projects - Latin America
Chair of the firm’s Projects Practice - Latin America, Richard has over 30 years of experience in complex, cross-border, project finance transactions and represents sponsors, developers, lenders, and investors in the development, financing, acquisition, and disposition of major capital-intensive assets, primarily in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Key Matters
Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.
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Represented Liwathon B.O.S. LLC, which operates and maintains a fuel oil storage and transshipment terminal in the Bahamas, in connection with a financing provided by Private Export Funding Corporation (PEFCO), supported by a financial guarantee from the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The proceeds of the financing will be used to repair the South Riding Point oil terminal in Bahamas and facilitate the export of goods and services from the United States to the borrower in the Bahamas.
- Represented NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3 LLC (NTE3), the concession company that operates, maintains, and collects tolls on the North Tarrant Express Segments 3A, 3B, and 3C Facility in Fort Worth, Texas (the Project), in connection with a US$275M senior financing transaction. The Texas Private Activity Bond Surface Transportation Corporation issued private activity bonds (PABs) and lent the proceeds to NTE3, which applied the funds to refinance outstanding PABs that were previously issued in connection with the construction of the Project.
- Represented Suministradora de Buses K Cuatro SpA, along with its sponsors Inversiones Kaufmann, S.A. and InfraBridge Ebus Chile SpA, on a US$344M financing package for an electric bus fleet in Santiago, Chile. The lenders are International Finance Corporation (IFC), Inter-American Investment Corporation (IDB Invest), and Banco del Estado de Chile (BancoEstado). The project has a total estimated value of $422MM. With a total of 992 electric buses, this project contributed to the creation of the largest electric bus fleet in the Americas and the second-largest electric bus fleet in the world.
- Represented NTE Mobility Partners Segments 3 LLC (NTE3), the concession company operating, maintaining, and collecting tolls on the North Tarrant Express Segments 3A, 3B, and 3C Facility in Fort Worth, Texas (the Project), in connection with a US$221M senior financing transaction. NTE3 will issue a series of senior lien bonds, the proceeds of which will be applied to repay a portion of existing debt related to the construction of the Project.
- Represented a Colombian company in a US$150M financing with MUFG.
- Represented Enel Chile, S.A. in connection with a credit facility provided by the European Investment Bank to finance the development, construction, and operation of multiple renewable energy generation and distribution projects by Enel in Chile as part of that country’s energy transition program with a guarantee provided by SACE S.p.A. Part of an overall agreement between EIB and Enel to develop green energy projects in Brazil, Peru, and Chile, with the support of SACE (Italian export credit agency). This transaction is an important example of cross-border support for the development of renewable energy production in Latin America.
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Represented Sacyr Concesiones S.L., Unión Vial Río Pamplonita S.A.S. and Fideicomiso Unión Vial Río Pamplonita S.A.S. with a US$451.5M long-term project financing.
- Advised the lenders and underwriters in connection with the bids for major transportation infrastructure projects in California, Michigan, Hawaii, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia, among others.
- Advised the sponsors in connection with the bids for transportation infrastructure projects in Washington and Oklahoma, among others.
- Advised JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., a large and innovative solar panel manufacturer, in the sale of two solar PV plants in Mexico to White River Renewables.
- Represented a Central American conglomerate in the acquisition of a significant strategic real estate holding in Honduras.
- Advised Paraguay Energy S.A. in connection with its US$130M financing to fund the acquisition of Petrobras’ operations in Paraguay from Petrobras International Braspetro B.V.
- Represented a Central America conglomerate in connection with the acquisition and related financing of an agricultural and energy business.
- Advised Jinko Solar and Energía Solar San Ignacio S. de R.L. de C.V., in development, construction, operation, and financing of a Mexican 25.02 MWp PV solar power plant.
- Advised Jinko Solar and Solar Park Viborillas, S. de R.L. de C.V., in the development, construction, and senior financing of a 130 MW PV solar power project in Mexico.
- Advised Japan Bank for International Cooperation, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank, Ltd. with a US$500M syndicated credit facility.
- Represented Autopistas del Sol, S.A. with a Rule 144A and Regulation S offering by Autopistas del Sol of US$300M aggregate principal amount of 7.375% Senior Secured Notes.
- Advised a multinational investment bank and financial services holding company as bond purchaser and hedge counterparty in a US$460M financing of a public-private partnership.
- Advised Citibank, N.A. and Goldman Sachs & Co., with the marketing and issuance of US$100M of Tax-Exempt Private Activity Revenue Bonds for construction and management of HOT lanes.
- Represented Grupo T-Solar with the sale of a minority equity interest in two projects consisting of two 20 MW PV plants in southern Peru.
- Advised Solarpack Corporación Tecnológica, S.L. in the development and financing of a 19 MW PV solar plant in Moquegua, Peru.