Clifford Chance and Hunton & Williams advised on the signing of a major Thailand energy deal in just under three weeks.

The deal saw Thailand's Electricity Generating Public Company (EGCO) purchase a 23.4% equity interest in the Quezon Power Project in the Philippines, the first privately built and operated plant in the country. The deal increases EGCO's presence in the ASEAN region.

Representing Thailand's first independent power producer, EGCO, Clifford Chance's Geriant Hughes led a team which included Bangkok counsel Joe Tisuthiwongse and Hong Kong-based Erin Brennan, advising on cross-border legal issues of the acquisition and deal structure.

"In addition to the time pressure, the deal required a thorough understanding of the project's underlying shareholding structure, which was quite complex," said Hughes. "We benefited from our team's regional cooperation across the Hong Kong and Bangkok offices in this deal."

Hughes, who also advised on the Central Asia Gas pipeline project, said that the deal was among a growing list of energy deals in Asia.

"It is a further example of the types of deals we expect to see in the energy and infrastructure sector across Asia in the coming 12 months, with national companies looking to expand through synergistic acquisitions," he said.

Hunton & Williams' Edward Koehler was lead partner advising Quezon Power Project. Koehler could not comment as the deal is still in process beyond the initial closing that occurred last week, but said he was pleased that "the transaction is moving forward in these difficult times".