Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), a subsidiary of state oil major Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), is planning to announce prequalified companies for its planned Al-Dibdibah 1GW solar energy project.

According to sources close to the project, KNPC has prequalified 15 firms for the solar project and is planning to announce the prequalification list in early April.

MEED reported in October that the client had received prequalification entries from 60 firms for the planned solar project.

The contract will involve the design, build, operation and maintenance (DBOM) of a 1GW photovoltaic (PV) solar facility at the Al-Shagaya renewable energy complex, which is located 100 kilometres west of Kuwait City.

The 1GW solar plant will be located on a 32-square-kilometre site at the Al-Shagaya complex, and will have the capacity to produce 2,500 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity a year.

The US’ WorleyParsons has been appointed as the owner’s representative to assist with the tendering of the project.

The proposed scope of works for the solar project include:

• Design of the plant/s, including design specifications, layout and engineering drawings
• Simulation model of projected output from plant, targeting 2,500GWh at year 25 of the project
• Procurement of all components of the PV plant, including wiring, PV modules, inverters and control systems
• Performance testing and commissioning of the PV plant
• Operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plant for a period specified by KNPC
• Training of staff for operation of the plant following handover of facility after O&M period

 In line with Kuwait’s vision for 15 per cent of its total energy to come from renewable resources by 2030, KPC is targeting for 15 per cent of the total electricity consumption by it and its subsidiaries to come from renewable resources.

The rest of the Al-Shagaya renewable energy complex is being developed by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (Kisr), in partnership with the Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW). Germany’s Fichtner prepared the masterplan for the development and assisted Kisr and the MEW with the tendering process for the first three pilot projects.

In the first pilot round of schemes under the Al-Shagaya programme, Kisr tendered and awarded contracts for a 50MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, a 10MW wind farm and a 10MW PV solar facility.