Ashurst, King & Wood Mallesons, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills have scored key advisory roles in China General Nuclear’s (CGN) $9 billion investment in EDF Energy’s nuclear project to construct the Hinkley Point C plant, the first new nuclear power station to be built in the UK in almost 20 years.

The deal is one of the largest investments ever in UK history and was signed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the latter’s state visit last month.

Under the Strategic Investment Agreement, CGN, which is the biggest nuclear power reactor operator in China, will make its investment in the UK project through a newly formed company called General Nuclear International. EDF’s share in the project will be 66.5 percent, while CGN will take the remaining 33.5 percent.

A cross-border KWM team is advising CGN, composed of European-based partners Elaine Gibson-Bolton, Neil Upton, Ian Wood and Angus Evers and China-based partners Pan Yujia, Xu Ping, Handel Lee and Yao Lijuan.

Ashurst’s team led by partners David Wadham, Robert Ogilvy Watson, Christopher Bates, Nikhil Markanday and Nicholas Gardner advised CGN.

Clifford Chance is representing EDF for its deal with China, with London partner John Wilkins taking the lead and Paris partner Richard Tomlinson providing support.

Herbert Smith Freehills put together a team of more than 30 lawyers led by partner Julia Pyke to advise EDF on securing investment into the nuclear plant and sealing agreements with government and suppliers.

EDF Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy said EDF will keep majority control of the Hinkley Point project, but would look for another investor to take a stake of up to 15 percent. The company will also sign the final decision on Hinkley in the next few weeks.