Our Dutch Energy and Utilities Group is recognised as a leading group in the Dutch market (Legal 500, 2008 Edition). The group comprises of over 15 lawyers who focus on this sector. The team is headed by two partners, Michelle de Rijke and Harm van Berkum, who have focused on the sector for over ten years. They bring together a combination of regulatory, commercial and transactional experience.
Our team is fully integrated with the firm’s International Energy & Utilities Group. In addition to the energy & utilities sector, we also focus on other regulated industries. Our experience working in these sectors enables us to provide advice that is up-to-date and anticipates industry trends and to ensure we have good relationships with policymakers and regulators (including for lobbying).
We provide advice covering the following areas:
Energy regulation
Our regulatory and competition lawyers advise energy companies, governments, investors and large end users on the Electricity Act and Gas Act and associated regulations on a daily basis. This includes advice on transport tariffs, gasbalancing regime, private networks and grants.
Transactions and projects
We have extensive experience advising on corporate finance transactions and projects such as privatizations (including controlled auctions), unbundling, beneficial and legal transfer of networks, (re)financing and (re)capitalisation, large IT contracts, outsourcing and restructurings.
Energy contracts
Our experience with energy contracts includes the drafting and reviewing of energy supply and purchase agreements, connection agreements, gas storage and upstream cooperation agreements.
Renewable energy and Climate Change
We advise on all aspects of renewable energy and in particular on wind projects, district heating, combined heat and power installations, field heating and space cooling projects. We also assist clients with matters relating to the allocation, transfer and investment in carbon credits.
Litigation
We represent companies operating in the sector in both civil and administrative proceedings and our lawyers have an outstanding track record in proceedings against decisions of the Dutch Energy Regulator, disputes regarding the installation, removal and damage of cables and pipelines and patent and trademark litigation etc.
Upstream
The team has a thorough knowledge of upstream issues and legislation such as the licensing system under the Dutch Mining Act, gas storage and TPA regulation with regard to LNG.
Excise and environmental taxes
We have in depth experience advising on all excise and regulatory aspects of the holding and movement of excise products such as gasoil and biofuels. We also advise on Dutch environmental taxes on energy products (e.g. Dutch energy tax on gas and electricity).
We are happy to provide you with a more detailed experience statement tailored to your demands.
