The Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea) has set a submission date of 19 September for prequalified companies to submit bids for its planned 350MW solar independent power project (IPP).

MEED reported on 25 April that 34 companies had been prequalified to participate in the tender. Eight companies have been prequalified to participate as a standalone bidder, or as part of a consortium, with the remaining 26 companies having been conditionally prequalified to participate as a member of a consortium.

The client has specified that the conditionally prequalified bidders have 28 days from the issue date of request for proposals (RFP), 25 April, to join or form a consortium. Adwea has specified that a maximum of 15 bids can be received for the project.

MEED reported in March that Abu Dhabi Electricity & Water Company (Adwec) had appointed Germany’s Fichtner as the technical adviser for the scheme. US-based Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has been appointed as legal adviser and the UK’s Alderbrook Finance will provide financial advisory services.

For the financial advisory position, Alderbrook saw off competition from some of the major international firms, including the UK’s EY, PwC and Deloitte, and Switzerland-based KPMG.

The planned 350MW IPP will use photovoltaic (PV) solar technology. The plant will be located near the town of Sweihan in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi.

The scheme will reassert the emirate’s position as a major regional player in the renewable energy market, since it started to trail others following the commissioning of Shams 1 in March 2013, the region’s first utility-scale solar energy plant.