Chinelo Ojike
Associate
chinelo.ojike@akingump.com
Areas of Focus
- Renewable Energy
- Project Development
- Projects & Energy Transition
- Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage
- Energy & Infrastructure Private Equity
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Private Capital
- Renewables & Energy Transition
Biography
- Advises on project finance transactions.
- Practice focuses on debt and tax equity financing matters supporting the energy transition.
Chinelo represents lenders, investors, sponsors and developers on the development and financing of renewable energy & infrastructure projects and other general corporate matters.
Prior to joining Akin, Chinelo was an in-house consultant for Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund managers and gained experience working on the development of infrastructure projects in Africa.
Representative Work
- Represented the lenders in connection with more than $500 million construction-to-term loan facility to finance the construction and development of approximately 150 MWac solar photovoltaic facility paired with a 113 MW / 4-hour (452 MWh) battery energy storage system in California.
- Represented the lenders, in connection with more than $300 million construction-to-term loan facility to finance the construction and development of a 100 MWac / 130 MWdc solar project and a 400 MWh energy storage facility in Pinal County, Arizona.
- Represented the Sponsor in connection with the $150 million financing for the construction and development of a solar photovoltaic power plant located in Ellis County, Texas.
- Represented the lenders in connection with the financing for the acquisition of a bi-directional transmission facility connecting two independent system operators.
- Represented the lenders on a $116 million construction, bridge and term loan financing to support the development of projects in Maine, Wisconsin and Alabama that will turn organic feedstocks – landfill emissions, animal waste, municipal waste and food waste – to renewable natural gas.
- Represented the lenders in a $207 million financing, inclusive of a $130 million construction facility and a $77 million investment tax credit bridge loan, to finance the development of facilities to convert landfill gas into renewable natural gas in Ohio.
- Represented the senior secured lenders in connection with a $400 million refinancing for gas peaker projects in the ERCOT region.
- Represented the lenders in a $140 million senior secured revolving bridge facility for pre-NTP and equipment loans.
- Represented the lenders in connection with a $250 million facility to finance purchase of receivables under an EPC.
- Represented the lenders in connection with a $101 million facility for the construction and operation of a 200-megawatt hour storage project in Arizona.
- Represented the tax equity investor in connection with the tax equity financing for the construction, development, ownership and operation of a 150 MWac multi-phase solar photovoltaic energy generation project located in Virginia.
LanguagesIgbo
Igbo
EducationLL.M., New York University School of Law, with distinction
LL.B., University of Nigeria, summa cum laude
LL.M., New York University School of Law, with distinction
LL.B., University of Nigeria, summa cum laude
Bar AdmissionsNew York
Nigeria
New York
Nigeria
Speeches and Publications
- I. Emehelu, C. Ojike, “Notable U.S. Carbon Capture Projects” (2023) available at https://www.akingump.com/en/insights/blogs/speaking-energy/notable-us-carbon-capture-and-storage-projects
