White & Case advises Avantus on US$525 million financing for Aratina 2 solar and storage project in Southern California

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Avantus on the development and financing of more than US$525 million for the Aratina 2 utility-scale solar and storage project in eastern Kern County, California. Currently under construction and expected to be operational by the end of 2026, Aratina 2 will deliver 150 megawatts (MWs) of solar generation and 452 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage capacity to the California grid.

White & Case supported Avantus throughout the project's advanced stages of development and financing, including drafting and negotiating the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), battery and PV module supply and a range of other ancillary project agreements. The financing package includes construction funding, a tax equity bridge loan and letters of credit.

Aratina 2 is the second phase of the Aratina Solar Center, which, together with Aratina 1, will total 350 MWs of solar with 952 MWh of battery storage.

The White & Case construction team was led by partners David Strickland (Houston), Raffaele Turco (New York) and Aaron Potter (Chicago), and included associates Emily Pendleton, Jessica Webb (both in Houston) and Colleen Anderson, international law clerk Sebastian Cross and law clerk Adam Morris (all in New York). The Finance team was led by partner Nandan Nelivigi and included associates Tunmise Omotoyinbo, Anisha Sivathas and Jeffrey Godly (all in New York). Associates Catherine Gu and Ignacio Mesa Vilallonga (both in New York) also assisted on construction matters. The Tax team was led by partner Michael Sykes (Washington, DC) and associate Jordan Jentz (Houston).

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