White & Case advises the Office of Energy Dominance Financing on US$1.917 billion in loans for Iowa nuclear power plant

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) under the DOE's Title XVII Energy Financing Program on the signing of a landmark loan facility of up to US$1.9 billion for NextEra's Duane Arnold Energy Center, a 615 MW nuclear power plant in Linn County, Iowa.

The plant is Iowa's only nuclear facility, and the financing is a significant step in the revival of US nuclear power generation, supporting the return to service of a facility that ceased operations in 2020. The plant is positioned to sell power pursuant to long-term power purchase agreements and provide additional capacity to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.

“This landmark financing advances energy security and critical infrastructure investment while responding to growing demand for reliable, baseload power,” said Armando Rivera Jacobo, a partner at White & Case. “This transaction demonstrates DOE's continued commitment to innovative financing solutions that support the restart of critical nuclear assets and help meet rising electricity demand across the United States.” The Title 17 Energy Financing Program provides loans for eligible projects that meaningfully contribute to US energy security, grid reliability, and lowering costs for all Americans through energy deployment and energy infrastructure investment in the US. The financing aligns with EDF's commitment to support the restart and advancement of nuclear reactors in the US, consistent with the nuclear energy-related Executive Orders issued in May 2025.

The White & Case team was led by partner Armando Rivera Jacobo (Washington, DC), with support from partners Martin Menski, Ruta Skučas, Christina England-Livengood, Cristina Brayton-Lewis, Paul Pittman (all in Washington, DC), David Pezza, Aaron Potter (both in Chicago), Peter Trimarchi (New York) and Linda Sim (Los Angeles).

The team also included counsels Chimera Thompson, Reginald Augustus (both in Washington, DC), Heidi Schmid (New York) and Laura Mulry (Los Angeles); associates Eduarda Lague, Margaret Zelenski, Raquel Szomstein, Dara Brown, Joanna Anyanwu (all in Washington, DC), Maria Pinto (São Paulo), Jordan Jentz, Jessica Webb (both in Houston), Cynthia Gu, Emily Pope, Lucee Laursen (all in Chicago), Clarissa Lotson and Temi Ajibode (both in New York). Law clerk Emma Williams (Washington, DC) also assisted on the matter.

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