The Egyptian Electricity & Energy Ministry has delayed the deadline for responses to a request for qualification (RFQ) to build an independent power project (IPP) at Dairut.

The 31 March deadline has been postponed by one month. The request for proposals (RFP) is expected to be issued in June with a deadline for bids of September 2010.

The ministry invited interest from developers in January. An award is to be made by November 2010 (MEED 1:2:10).

The combined cycle power plant will be developed at Dariut on a build-own-operate basis. The plant is likely to have capacity of 1,500MW, consisting of two 750MW units.

However, developers can propose a different configuration using three 750MW units, which would take capacity of the project to 2,250MW.

The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company will buy the output of the plant for 20 years under a power-purchase agreement.

The Dariut project follows the successful launch of a scheme to develop a 250MW wind farm on the Gulf of Suez on a build-own-operate basis. A total of 10 companies have been shortlisted for that project.