Prominent global energy corporations are among 12 companies invited by the Omani government to compete for a license to build the Sultanate’s first utility-scale solar PV Independent Power Project (IPP).
The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), the sole procurer of new capacity under the Sector Law, announced on Tuesday that a Request for Proposals (RfP) has been issued to each of the 12 international companies prequalified to participate in the competitive tender. The RfP was issued on June 4, 2018, the state-owned subsidiary of Nama Group (previously the Electricity Holding Company) said.
The proposed commercial scale renewable energy project — dubbed Ibri II Solar IPP — is a 500 MW capacity solar photovoltaic (PV) based scheme to be set up in Wilayat Ibri in Dhahirah Governorate.
Among the contenders for this maiden investment in large-scale renewables are energy giants like BP, EDF and Total, many of which are competing as consortiums or joint ventures. Prequalified to participate in the tender are: (1) Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC ( Masdar) and Total Solar (2) BP Alternative Energy Investments Limited, Lightsource BP Renewable Energy Investments Limited and China New Energy Development (Zhejiang) Co (3) EDF Energies Nouvelles and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) (4) International Company for Water and Power Projects (ACWA Power) (5) International Power SA (IPSA) (6) GCL New Energy International Limited and Alfanar Company. Included in the list are (7) Hanwha Energy Corporation and Hanwha Q CELLS Corporation (8) Marubeni Corporation (9) Mitsui & Co, Ltd (10) Sumitomo Corporation (11) X-ELIO Energy, SL, and (12) Zorlu Enerji Elektrik Uretim A.and Abengoa Energa SA.
The deadline for submission of bids is October 22, 2018 with the project scheduled to be operational by June 2021.
The successful bidder will secure the government’s mandate to design, build, finance, own, operate and maintain the Solar IPP — the first in a series of large-scale solar and wind-based ventures planned for procurement by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company in line with the government’s strategy to secure a minimum 10 per cent contribution from renewables by the year 2025.
As reported by the Observer on May 2, 2018, OPWP plans to procure a total of six new solar and wind powered plants aimed at delivering a total of around 2,650 MW of renewables based capacity by 2024.
The new capacity includes three large-scale solar PV schemes each of around 500 MW capacity. For now, they are referred to as Solar IPP 2022, Solar IPP 2023 and Solar IPP 2024, indicating that they are slated to come on stream in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.
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