Deal: Allens has advised TransGrid on the procurement and construction of Project EnergyConnect, a proposed 860-kilometre electricity interconnector for which TransGrid has contracted with SecureEnergy, a joint venture between Clough and Elecnor.

Value: $1.5 billion.

Area: Energy and resources.

Key players: The Allens team consisted of partners Leighton O'Brien, Emma Warren, Andrew Mansour, and Nigel Papi, senior overseas practitioner Paul Grethe along with senior associate Anne Beresford, associates Connie Ye and Georgia Ellis with lawyer Chathurika Ravindra and graduate lawyer Alisha Arora.

Deal significance: The interconnector will provide a diversified supply path between Robertstown in South Australia, Wagga Wagga in NSW and Red Cliffs in Victoria, allowing for the connection of future renewable energy projects to the National Energy Market and reducing the impact of outages in extreme weather.

The interconnector will enable South Australia to increase wind and solar energy production and will ultimately have capacity to deliver energy to 240,000 extra households.

The Australian Energy Regulator has approved the interconnector, which satisfies the regulatory investment test for transmission, demonstrating the benefit it will provide energy consumers. TransGrid has now submitted its final contingent project application for the project.

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“We were pleased to work with longstanding client TransGrid on Project EnergyConnect. The new interconnector between South Australia and New South Wales will provide critical infrastructure for sharing renewable and baseload energy generation in the National Energy Market,” said Mr O'Brien.

“This interconnector supports Australia’s growing renewable energy industry and, once completed, will play an important role in reducing energy prices and connecting consumers to clean energy sources.”