Luis M. Castro

Luis is a founding partner of BLP and brings 20 years of experience to the legal profession. Involved in handling sizeable infrastructure and energy related projects. Handles the full range of issues including project finance and negotiation of purchase agreements as well as structuring of projects. Specializes in foreign investment related legal issues, and has significant experience in matters relating to the development of private power projects (BOO and BOT) having served as lead local counsel for the developer of four of the five operational BOT power projects in Costa Rica.

• BLP represented Autopistas del Sol, S.A. ("Autopistas del Sol") in connection with a Rule 144A and Regulation S offering by Autopistas del Sol of $300 million aggregate principal amount of 7.375% senior secured notes due 2030. Concurrently with the Rule 144A and Regulation S offering, Autopistas del Sol offered $50.75 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.80% of senior secured notes due 2027 to certain investors in Costa Rica pursuant to a separate Costa Rican prospectus in a public offering approved by Costa Rica's General Superintendency of Securities. This transaction represents the first concurrent local and international bond issuance in Costa Rica and one of the largest Central American project bonds in recent history and showcases the depth of our infrastructure and capital markets practices and ability to innovate in response to market developments and our clients' needs. 
• BLP successfully advised Celsia, an energy generating company part of Grupo Argos, in the placement of a USD$320 million corporate bond issue through its Panamanian subsidiary Alterenergy.  This deal can be seen as the second part of the transaction finalized in 2014, when our client bought GDF Suez’ assets in Panamá,  acquiring a credit with the regional banking system, specifically with Bancolombia and Banco General, among others.  The transaction, which closed last December 27th, exchanges a short term loan for a long term loan (10 years) and with better conditions resulting in an improvement of the client’s financial profile and it was the biggest corporate placement in the Panamanian securities market for the year 2017.
• BLP advised Nederlandse Financierings - Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (“FMO”) Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique (“PROPARCO”) and OESTERREICHISCHE ENTWICKLUNGSBANK AG,  (OeEB) (together the “Lenders”), in respect of the refinance of the syndicated US$ 144 million term loan facility provided to Alisios Holding S.A. in connection with the construction and operation of four wind parks of 20 MW each, located at two sites in Guanacaste, with a combined project size up to 80 MW.  These 4 wind parks will be developed simultaneously under Costa Rican regimen denominated BOO (Build, Operate, Own) plants. 
• BLP is currently representing Hunt Renewable Energy in all legal aspects related to the development of a 20MW wind power facility under a BOO structure. BLP is also advising the project in in the accessibility of the regional (Central American) electric grid and a Power Purchase Agreement. 
• BLP advised Celsia in the opening of its operations in Central America, in the expansion of its solar energy business in Costa Rica and in its day to day operations of the 50 BOT wind farm project with a long term PPA with ICE.
• BLP advised Marubeni in the public tendering of the acquisition of 10 trains and the procuring process of the tendering of a new electric light train in Costa Rica. 

• Energy
• Infrastructure
• Real Estate
• Tourism
• Transport
• Renewables
• Utilities

• Corporate & Commercial
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Real Estate
• Project Finance
• Infrastructure

• Costa Rica

• Member and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Costa Rican Chapter of YPO/WPO.
• Director of the Yo Emprendedor Association for rising entrepreneurs, and a founding member of the Costa Rican Association of International Law.
• Land Institute, Energy Committee of the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Business Sector.

• Universidad de Costa Rica 1994
• Georgetown University 1997