Vincent C. Zabielski

Vincent also served as associate general counsel-nuclear at Public Service Enterprise Group in New Jersey, advising the operators and owners of the Salem/Hope Creek Generating Stations regarding all aspects of nuclear operations. In this role, Vincent was responsible for all commercial contracts and routinely served as the legal interface with regulators.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Vincent was an engineering manager at a large nuclear facility in the United States. He has particular experience in crafting integrated solutions for new-build projects that leverage his legal, business and engineering experience to deliver maximum value for the client.

• Advised Slovenské elektrárne regarding fuel procurement strategy and contracts for uranium concentrates, conversion and enrichment services, enriched uranium and fuel fabrication.
• Advising THK and its U.S. subsidiary Kazatomprom Inc. with respect to its uranium trading agreements with U.S. utilities and other customers and intermediaries, as well as its non-nuclear sales contracts. 
• Counseled on nuclear fuels matters for TEPCO, ENEC, and several U.S. nuclear utilities.
• Advised SK Inc. and SK Innovation in its $250 million investment of TerraPower, a leading nuclear innovation company and next-generation small modular reactor (SMR) developer.
• Advised newcleo on all aspects of its business, including export controls and licensing, M&A, and commercial matters, complex regulatory compliance in conjunction with the development of an advanced nuclear reactor for import and export control spanning multiple jurisdictions, including the U.S., Italy, and France. 
• Advised Samsung C&T Corporation regarding the acquisition in shares of NuScale, including legal due diligence and acquiring approvals for the transaction, including CFIUS.
• Advised new nuclear fourth generation reactor suppliers including X-Energy, Terrapower and Moltex regarding various matters, including business structure and strategy, M&A, export controls and nuclear fuels.
• Advised General Fusion, a Canadian fusion energy developer, on a construction project in the UK.
• Served as a senior advisor for the Horizon Power in the United Kingdom in its development of 5,400 MW of new nuclear capacity at Anglesey and Oldbury in Wales, including EPC contract development.
• Advised NuScale concerning a Cooperative Agreement with U.S. Department of Energy.
• Represented CNNC Lanzhou Uranium Enrichment Corporation, a Chinese State-owned nuclear fuel company in reviewing and negotiating Enrichment Fuel Supply and Service Agreement with a U.S. public utility company.
• Counseled Electric Power Research Institute regarding various domestic (U.S.) and international energy and commercial issues, including international transportation of irradiated material samples and export controls.
• Assisted the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) in developing comprehensive and forward-thinking procurement strategies for nuclear new-build projects.
• Advised private equity bidders regarding nuclear due diligence of acquisition of the largest medical radioisotope supplier in Europe.
• Represented leading global alternative asset manager Brookfield on the regulatory and policy aspects of its successful $4.6B acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company and served as outside nuclear counsel for a half-dozen confidential mergers and acquisition efforts.
• Advised Brookfield Capital Partners seeking to acquire a $1 billion U.S. nuclear reactor and fuels company GE Nuclear and Global Nuclear Fuels.
• Advised on construction contracts for nuclear and non-nuclear infrastructure projects, including hotels, desalination plants, hydro plants, semiconductor factories, and many others.
• Advised on export controls and nuclear non-proliferation matters for Moltex, Newcleo, EDF and EPRI.
• Advised Ad Hoc Utilities Group (AHUG) on international trade matters.
• Advised a Middle Eastern energy ministry in its negotiations with the U.S. government.
• Advised on U.S. government contracting and CFIUS issues for European and UK-based suppliers.
• Advised on dispute resolution for a tech mega project in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Advised Sojitz Corp on all aspects of a $65m telecoms infra project in Myanmar including the main EPC contract with the Myanmar government as well as the subcontracting arrangements and interface agreement.  
• Represented HDGSK, a South Korean joint venture led by Hyundai Engineering & Construction, in proceedings relating to the construction of a power plant in Iraq.
• Represented Sojitz Corporation on the acquisition of a 90% operating interest from AES of the Kelanitissa diesel fired power generation facility near Colombo, Sri Lanka, the second largest power generation facility in Sri Lanka.
• Served as lead outside nuclear counsel to a U.S. defense contractor in connection with its possible acquisition of a nuclear company providing strategic advice and due diligence. 

• Worked as senior nuclear counsel for the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation in Abu Dhabi, responsible for advising on legal matters related to the construction, licensing, operation and financing of the four Barakah nuclear power plants currently under construction.
• SELECTED PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
  • Financing AI’s Nuclear Power, The Economist, Authors: Vincent C. Zabielski, Oct. 31, 2024.
  • No Time to Pause on New Nuclear, Authors: Vincent C. Zabielski, Sept. 11, 2021.
  • “Nuclear Energy Ticks All the Boxes,” Titans of Nuclear Podcast guest speaker, May 8, 2024.
  • GAR Live Energy, Disputes Nuclear Projects Panel, Edinburgh, Scotland, Sept. 5, 2022. Participant.
  • Letter: Nuclear Plan Is Eight Steps Forward, Six Steps Back, Financial Times, April 12, 2022.
  • Blog post: “Point Taken: The UK Supreme Court Finally Confirms the General Law of Liquidated Damages (LDs),” Pillsbury’s Gravel2Gavel, March 21, 2022.
  • The UK Hydrogen Strategy, Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Victoria Judd, Aug. 23, 2021.
  • UK Issues Draft Regulations Governing Nuclear Propulsion Systems for Commercial Ships, Authors: Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Aug. 12, 2021.
  • Going Nuclear: A Question for Head or Heart?, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Victoria Judd, June 1, 2021.
  • EU Takes Key Step in Taxonomy Rollout, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Victoria Judd, April 22, 2021.
  • EU Returns to Science-Based Decision-Making in Landmark Nuclear Report, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Victoria Judd, April 7, 2021.
  • Europe/The Growing Split between Pro and Anti-Nuclear, NucNet (by-lined article), April 20, 2020.
  • Blog post: “Triple Points to the English Court of Appeal for Clarifying the Law on LDs,” Pillsbury’s Gravel2Gavel, May 16, 2019.
  • Euratom: The Brexit Hostage, Nuclear Future, Vol. 15, No. 2, Authors: Vincent C. Zabielski, April 30, 2019.
  • Regulated Asset Base: A Model for the Nuclear Future?, Power Engineering International, Authors: Vincent C. Zabielski, April 24, 2019.
  • Energizing Development, Nuclear Engineering International, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Aug. 7, 2018.
  • Managing Risks at the Frontier – Contractual, Structural and Intergovernmental Arrangements for Nuclear Power Projects in Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries, 2018 Nuclear Inter Jura Congress, Nov. 5, 2018, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
  • Financial Times Ocean Nuclear Financing Summit, June 7, 2018, London UK. Speaker.
  • Whatever Happened to the Nuclear Renaissance?, The Energy Industry Times, Authors: Elina Teplinsky, Vincent C. Zabielski, Oct. 25, 2017. This article was honored by the Burton Awards at the 19th annual Burton gala awards.
  • Mitigating Risks in Nuclear New-Build, The Fourth Arab Forum on the Prospects of Nuclear Power for Electricity Generation and Seawater Desalination, Oct. 10 – 12, 2017, Ammon Jordan.
  • Managing Supply Chain Risk, Nuclear Engineering International, Authors: Vincent C. Zabielski, Oct. 4, 2017.
  • United Kingdom–United States Energy Commerce in Post-Brexit World, July 26, 2017, Sponsored by Pillsbury, Webinar, Speaker.
  • Mitigating Risks in Nuclear New-Build – Considerations for Vendors and Host Counties, Asia Nuclear Business Platform 2017, May 18, 2017, Shanghai, China. Presenter.
  • Key Issues and Lessons Learned: Development of Nuclear Power Plants in Turkey, training provided to State Nuclear Power technology Corporation LTD. “SNPTC,” May 15, 2017, Beijing, China. Presentation by Vincent Zabielski and Jeffrey Merrifield.
  • Avoiding a Crash Landing for the UK Nuclear Industry, The ENDS Report, April 13, 2017, bylined article.
  • The Power of Brexit, Nuclear Engineering International, Jan. 18, 2017, bylined article.
  • Ensuring a 'Soft Brexit' for the UK's Nuclear Industry, World Nuclear News, Nov. 24, 2016, bylined article.
  • Alternative Financing Models for New Nuclear, WNA Lawyers Working Group, Sept. 14, 2016, London, UK. Presenter.
  • Project Finance Structures for Nuclear Power Plants, 2016 New Nuclear International conference, June 6 – 7, 2016, Warsaw, Poland. Presentation by Vincent Zabielski and Jason Crowell.
  • Cybersecurity: Retaining the Power, 16th February 2016, Nuclear Engineering International online, Feb. 16, 2016, bylined article by Vincent Zabielski and Will Fork.
  • New Challenges for Nuclear New Build Financing, Nuclear Future, Nov. 16, 2015, bylined article by Vincent Zabielski and Elina Teplinsky.
  • In Perspective: Lessons Learned for Nuclear New-Build, Nuclear Intelligence Weekly, November 6, 2015, bylined article by Vincent Zabielski and Elina Teplinsky.
  • Securing Finance for Nuclear Projects, Project Finance International, May 20, 2015, bylined article by Vincent Zabielski and Elina Teplinsky.
  • Hinkley – Lessons Need to Be Heeded in Using First-Of-A-Kind EPR Technology, Power Engineering International, May 11, 2015, interview with Vincent Zabielski.
  • Managing Licensing Risk in New-Build Construction Contracts for Emerging Markets, WNA New Build Licensing Conference 2015, April 21, 2015, Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Seminar on Nuclear Procurement, Contracting and Financing, Rosatom Corporate Academy, July 7, 2015, Moscow, Russian Federation.
  • Financing Requirements for Nuclear New-Build – Designing Success from the Start, 2nd MENA Nuclear Energy Summit 2015, June 9, 2015, Istanbul, Turkey.
• Honours & Awards
  • Recognised as one of the Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom for Energy and Natural Resources Law (2022).
  • The Legal 500 UK, recognised for Emerging Markets (2019 – 2020) and Power (including electricity and nuclear) (2025).
  • Westinghouse Electric Co.’s restructuring and $4.6 billion acquisition by Brookfield Business Partners L.P., has been named Private Equity Acquisition of the Year 2019 (above $1 billion) by the Global M&A Network’s 11th annual Turnaround Atlas Awards.
  • In the Restructuring Deal of the Year category, for the 11th Annual International M&A Awards, the organization selected Westinghouse Electric Co.’s restructuring and $4.6 billion acquisition by Brookfield Business Partners.
  • International Financial Law Review selected Westinghouse Electric Co.’s restructuring and $4.6 acquisition by Brookfield Business Partners L.P., in which Pillsbury advised on critical regulatory and policy issues, as Private Equity Deal of the Year. Each year, IFLR honors legally innovative.