Tracey LeBeau brings a wealth of energy development experience to Sonnenschein. Ms. LeBeau’s unique energy investment and development experience provides her with the skills to advise clients on a wide range of issues related to energy, including wind and solar development, oil and gas exploration, midstream projects, conventional electric generation and electric transmission. She frequently manages project development activities for energy projects and is experienced at development agreement and site control negotiations, permitting advisory, due diligence, identification of equity or other investor partners, transmission interconnection advisory, and project structuring and regulatory work for institutional investment and government clients.
Before joining the firm, Ms. LeBeau co-founded Red Mountain Energy Partners, a successful energy technical consultancy firm which provides technical analysis for renewable projects, utilities, and energy, efficiency and conservation. Prior to founding Red Mountain, she was vice president of Innovation Investments, a private equity firm where she originated and managed development of large-scale wind projects. Ms. LeBeau continues to serve as a team member on those projects.
With respect to conventional energy development, Ms. LeBeau previously served as vice president for midstream gas and renewable development companies Earth Energy Environment, LLC (E3) and E3 Canada Corporation. Prior to that, she was a director at Kansas Pipeline Company and a director for American Energy Solutions, Inc., a national electricity and gas marketing firm.
Representative Experience
Much of Ms. LeBeau’s work has involved renewable and conventional energy infrastructure projects, including:
Renewable Energy Projects:
Commercial Solar Projects Advisory: Advisor to one of the largest international solar thermal developers on 200+ megawatt projects located in the desert Southwest with respect to development option term sheets and agreements, state line and project siting regulatory matters, transmission queuing and applications, preliminary site intelligence and project planning.
Commercial Wind Development Transfer Transactions: Originated and managed two wind project development asset negotiations and sales representing 335 megawatts. Deal work included conducting due diligence, negotiations of pricing terms, transfer of assets and securing approvals by outside entities on transmission agreements and options assignments.
Wind Project: Served as advisor to one of the largest global wind development companies on a wind project located in Southern California, providing advisory support on initial site prospecting, equity structuring and structures, negotiations, site control documentation, financial deal terms as well as regulatory approvals and compliance for both leasing and permitting.
Transmission Right of Way Litigation Support: Led technical advisory support in relation to a 230 kilovolt trespass class action litigation matter, specifically providing advisory support on transmission line siting issues, valuation strategies, regulatory reporting and due diligence, non-monetary settlement options analysis and a series of community outreach initiatives to discuss technical issues of the trespass.
Energy Policy Development and Corporate Structuring Projects: Led development and management of several renewable policy entities to provide trade and business policy advice on matters related to renewable and renewable transmission issues.
Commercial Wind Projects –Pre Development: Managed commercial wind pre-development and development activities to multiple wind projects located in the Midwest, including site prospecting and permitting for early-stage facilities siting, initial power purchase discussions, transmission access and discussions, investment due diligence and deployments for pre-development activities, tax and corporate structuring advisory support.
Solar Photovoltaic Project: Provided advisory support to small-scale commercial solar project with respect to power purchase options and discussions, development and financing planning, lease and related permitting process and approvals, third-party investment and tax participation due diligence and discussions.
Multi-party Solar Development Partnership: Led specific partner due diligence, negotiations and structuring of a multi-party commercial solar investment partnership for a contemplated 100 megawatt solar project in the desert Southwest; provided contingent advisory support and management on transmission agreements and process, lease issues, financing and managing project realty-related planning and issues.
Utility Restructuring: Directed utility restructuring project for a governmental entity involving natural gas operations and regulations, electric service and facilities regulations and water and waste water services so as to establish a harmonized regulatory restructuring plan and business case.
Wind Projects: Originated and led the development of two projects located in the Midwest, including, deploying and managing significant investments in securing site control agreements (development options and lease), managing legal and other advisors, managing preliminary engineering work on resource characterizations, discussions with regulators and state government as well as congressional delegations, array design, interconnection and transmission engineering, securing interconnection agreements, in addition to preliminary environmental, wildlife and site assessments, power purchase negotiations and community outreach.
Conventional Energy Projects:
Corporate/Investor Originator: Originated and negotiated numerous complex development agreements across a variety of projects involving international midstream natural gas and renewable energy projects. Provided initial screening of project opportunities, led due diligence, engaged counsel, led negotiations and provided onsite partner support.
Multi-Party Energy Partnership Project: Originated and negotiated a complex seven-party development agreement for natural gas midstream and renewable energy projects contemplated in the Canadian Maritimes and Quebec.
Refinery Acquisition Project: Originated and led a transaction to acquire an existing natural gas condensate processing project, including conducting initial due diligence, managing engineering and environmental permitting support, negotiations with transfer and financing agreements.
Natural Gas Pipeline Project: Spent significant time on advisory and support on a large-scale intrastate pipeline project and associated generation project, including due diligence with federal offtakers as well as federal contract power purchase negotiations.
Natural Gas Exploration and Production Agreement Project: Provided advisory and support to an oil and gas producer seeking exploration and production joint venture partners, involved with initial due diligence and interviews of prospective partners, negotiations and provided production company board and management advisory.