On December 7, 2015, EDF EN Canada Inc. (EDF EN), a market leader in renewable energy and subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles Group, completed the sale of a 42.5 per cent interest in the 350 megawatt (MW) Rivière-du-Moulin Wind Project located in the Province of Québec (the Project) to DIM Wind, Limited Partnership (DIM), a limited partnership formed by a consortium (the Consortium) regrouping Régime de rentes du Mouvement Desjardins, Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company, Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company. EDF EN Canada will remain involved in the Project through its wholly owned subsidiary EEN CA Rivière du Moulin L.P. (EEN), which is a 57.5 per cent co-owner of the Project. EDF EN Canada will provide management services and EDF Renewable Services will continue to provide a portion of the current operations and maintenance services as well as 24/7 remote monitoring.
The Project’s first phase has an installed capacity of 150 MW and has reached commercial operation on November 27, 2014, while the second phase of 200 MW has reached commissioning on November 14, 2015. The Project will utilize a total of 175 wind turbines.
EDF EN was represented by an in-house team led by Julie Chabot (Head of Legal, Québec) and also by Stikeman Elliott LLP with a team that included Maxime Turcotte, Dominique Rolland (M&A), Erik Richer La Flèche, Sterling Dietze, Maxime Jacquin, Léa Bénitah-Bouchard (project finance), Jean-Guillaume Shooner (tax), Jeffrey Brown and Paul Beaudry (competition). Dentons Canada LLP acted as development counsel to EDF EN, including title and permitting matters, with a team consisting of Mylany David, Charles Côté-Lépine and Simon Chénard (real estate).
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company was represented by an in-house legal team led by John Wallace (Managing Director, Senior Counsel and Practice Group Leader, Fixed Income, North American Investment Law). Régime de rentes du Mouvement Desjardins was represented by an in-house legal team led by Patrick Chillis (Director, Legal Affairs). Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company and Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company were represented by an in-house legal team led by Véronique Steffan (Legal Counsel, Legal Affairs). Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. was represented by an in-house legal team led by Christine Vachon (Coordinator, Legal Department, Commercial – Quebec).
The Consortium was represented by Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP with a team including Philippe Bourassa (M&A), Aude Godfroy, Mahnaz Jan Ali (project finance), Yannick Beaudoin and Viviane Lapointe (real estate), Anne-Catherine Boucher (environment), Peter Lee and Kathleen Penny and Jean Gagnon (tax), and Jason Gudofsky and Cassandra Brown (competition).