EXCLUSIVE: Five groups submit bids for Oman solar project

08 July 2018
Bids were received on 8 July for 100MW photovoltaic solar plant

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has received five proposals for the contract to develop the planned 100MW photovoltaic (PV) solar plant at Amin in the southern region of the sultanate.

PDO received bids from the following bidders on 8 July:

  • Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)
  • EDF (France)
  • Engie (France)
  • Marubeni (Japan)
  • Masdar (UAE)/Total (France)

The solar plant is to be PDO’s first independent power producer (IPP) project. PDO will be the sole off-taker and will buy all of the electricity produced by the solar farm.

The contract will involve the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the solar plant for the duration of the 23-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

State utility Oman Power & Water Company (OPWP) is also moving ahead with plans to develop solar energy on a large scale as part of the sultanate’s plans to diversify its energy resources.

In February, OPWP received prequalification entries from 28 groups for a planned PV solar IPP at Ibri, about 300 kilometres inland from Muscat. The proposed plant will have a power generation capacity of 500MW. In April, OPWP revealed the 12 groups that prequalified for the upcoming tender.

The proposed IPP will be the second utility-scale renewables project planned in Oman, with the UAE’s Masdar developing a 50MW wind farm in the southern part of the sultanate in partnership with the local Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco).

A MEED Subscription...

Subscribe or upgrade your current MEED.com package to support your strategic planning with the MENA region’s best source of business information. Proceed to our online shop below to find out more about the features in each package.