Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has invited firms to submit bids for an engineering consultancy contract to build a substation and overhead lines at the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park.

Consultants have until 3 November to submit bids for the deal. When completed, the project will consist of 1,000MW of multi-technology solar capacity.The scheme is located near the E66 Dubai to Al-Ain road, about 50 kilometres outside Dubai city. Dewa will manage and operate the overall development of the park.

The first 10MW photovoltaic (PV) component of the project is nearing the completion of the construction phase.  US-based First Solar was awarded the estimated AED124m ($33.8m) contract to build the first phase of the park in October last year.

Earlier in 2012, Dewa selected Austria’s ILF Consulting Engineers to advise on the development of the 10MW scheme, as well as the planning for the solar park. The park will cover 48 square kilometres at Seih al-Dahal, located to the southeast of Dubai city. A collection of facilities using PV, concentrated solar power (CSP) trough and solar power tower technology will feature at the site.

According to Dewa, the solar park will require a total investment of about AED12.6bn, although it is likely to cost more. While the first phase will be government-procured, subsequent schemes could be financed by the private sector.

MEED recently reported that Dewa is expected to soon start asking consultants to pitch for a mandate as financial adviser on plans to develop a 100MW solar project. The scheme is set to be the first independent solar energy project in the emirate. Abu Dhabi has already developed an independent solar scheme: Shams 1 at Masdar.