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Infrastructure

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A New Era of Data Center Infrastructure

Financing and Bankability of Data Center Projects

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Where We Excel

The Infrastructure team at Vinson & Elkins has experience in structuring and development financing of concession-based projects, public-private partnerships (PPP), and in acquisitions, disposals, and privatizations of infrastructure portfolio assets and projects throughout the world. Our clients include buy-side and sell-side entities, sponsors, equity investors, financiers, contractors, and public sector participants who benefit from our experience, including in connection with complex regulatory requirements and the UK’s PPP model, both in the UK and as it has been applied in jurisdictions around the world.

V&E lawyers provide a comprehensive service to clients on all phases of such acquisitions and projects, and our Infrastructure team is completely integrated into our broader network of offices. The practice is represented by multiple areas of law, including our Project Development and Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Finance, Government Contracts, Environmental Regulatory (including Energy Regulatory), Tax, and Intellectual Property practices, allowing us to bring the right experience and skills to any transaction.

Our lawyers advise clients on infrastructure acquisitions and projects in both developed and emerging markets and across a diverse range of industries, including:

Airports
Data centers
Electric power
Fiber networks and cable television systems
Heavy and light rail/mass transit systems
Hospitals and other medical facilities
Industrial complexes and manufacturing facilities
Pipelines
Ports
Rail and terminals
Roads, toll roads, and toll bridges
Renewables
Sports facilities
Telecommunication towers
Transportation and logistics
Waste oil recycling
Water and wastewater

Experience

Aleática, an IFM Investors portfolio company, in the issuance of a project bond and bank debt for the financing of the Autopista Río Magdalena 2 highway project, a major greenfield 4G toll road in Colombia (PFI Americas Transport Deal of the Year, 2021)
Aligned Data Centers in connection with a structured minority investment by SDC Capital Partners as part of the financing for the acquisition of Odata, a data center provider in Latin America
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company in connection with a joint venture with QatarEnergy to develop an $8.5 billion integrated polymers facility in Orange, Texas
Blackstone in its acquisition of Sabre Industries from The Jordan Company
OCI Global in all aspects of the development, and subsequent $2.35 billion sale, of its equity interests in a clean ammonia project under construction in Beaumont, Texas to Woodside Energy Group
Gulf Coast Ammonia as project counsel in the development and financing of a world-scale ammonia project in Texas, including the negotiation of a financeable marine terminal services agreement, EPC contract, O&M contracts, feedstock supply agreements, offtake agreements, and site agreements, and also the negotiation of a $574.3 million debt package from a consortium of nine commercial banks (Proximo’s 2019 North American Petrochemicals Deal of the Year)
Lithium Americas in the project development, financing, and construction arrangements for the Thacker Pass lithium mine and processing facilities, involving a $2.26 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy
(Tex.); (Tex. App. – Corpus Christi) – Obtained affirmance of unanimous intermediate appeals court ruling that Texas Central is classified as an interurban electric railway company with eminent-domain authority to build the high-speed train between Houston and Dallas—a ruling that reversed the trial court’s judgment, which had held that Texas Central did not qualify as such
Acting on a number of ICC arbitrations in connection with the design and construction of a major maritime project in Central America

Powering Progress

The accelerating adoption of AI is driving extraordinary demand for data center capacity and power, creating both opportunity and complexity for developers and investors alike.

To better understand how the market is responding, we surveyed 200 senior infrastructure developers and private capital investors to capture perspectives on power availability, infrastructure constraints, financing dynamics, and the pace of AI-driven growth.

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Insights

Articles

A New Era of Data Center Infrastructure

The market has been attracting extraordinary investment; new research shows the momentum is durable. Partner Eamon Nolan examined the outlook …

October 16, 2026

October 16, 2026 • 1-minute read

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CLE Events

Financing and Bankability of Data Center Projects

This program will examine the key legal and commercial considerations for financing data center projects, with a focus on what makes these projects bankable for lenders and investors.

September 29, 2026

September 29, 2026 • 1-minute read

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Articles

Why Liability Is Different Underground

Partner Scott Stiegler and Associate Ellen Swarbrick examine the unique liability challenges of underground construction projects, where unforeseen ground conditions …

September 28, 2026

September 28, 2026 • 1-minute read

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