Hydropower lawyers | Energy law

Hydropower plays a significant role in UK clean energy, generating over 5,000 GWh/year. We are one of a small number of UK law firms with specific expertise in hydropower schemes.

Our team of specialists works with developers and funders to enable the development and operation of hydropower projects throughout the UK.

Bringing together legal experts from a broad range of disciplines, the team delivers experience-based advice throughout the lifecycle of hydropower projects. This includes everything from site acquisition and financing to the negotiation of balance of plant and power purchase agreements.

We regularly advise on:

land assembly issues
title and property due diligence
options, leases, and land acquisition
access agreements
infrastructure agreements
securitisation
project acquisitions
project disposals

Highlights

Advising a developer in relation to the world’s largest tidal energy project of any kind, which is being planned for Swansea Bay.
Advising an ethical bank on the provision of non recourse loan facilities to a community group 500kw scheme. One of the largest community hydro projects in Scotland, this was the first facility developed and owned by a community on Forestry Commission land.
Advising a developer on the initial feasibility of constructing and operating up to 16 small and medium projects on Argyll Estate land in the West of Scotland.
Advising a community enterprise on two developments, one of which was the largest community hydro power project to gain planning permission in the UK at the time.
Advising an ethical bank on the funding of a 995KW two turbine project in North Wales on the rivers Caseg and Llafar above Bethesda.