The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen) has invited developers bidding for the planned Noor Midelt solar project to submit commercial proposals.

MEED reported in January that Masen had requested technical clarifications from the three bidders for the Noor Midelt scheme, which is expected to consist of two hybrid-solar plants each with a capacity of 400MW.

According to sources close to the project, the client has now completed the technical clarification stage and has invited bidders to submit commercial proposals by 31 July.

The three bidders for the solar project are: Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia), EDF (France) and Engie (France).

Masen received technical proposals from the three groups for the hybrid scheme, which will be a hybrid concentrated solar power (CSP)/photovoltaic (PV) plant, on 12 December.

The two 400MW plants are expected to consist of two separate plants with a CSP capacity of 150-190MW and a minimum of 5 hours of thermal storage. The capacity of the PV component, for daytime generation, will be left to the bidders’ discretion, but it will not be allowed to exceed night time capacity from CSP by more than 20 per cent.

The Noor Midelt complex will be located on 3,150 hectares of land, 20km north of the town of Midelt in northern Morocco. The hybrid scheme will be developed as an IPP using a BOOT concession under a long-term PPA between Masen and the project company.

As with Morocco’s other solar IPP schemes, Masen will buy the electricity at the price offered by the successful bidder and sell it to ONEE through a second PPA between Masen and the utility. Masen will provide the site infrastructure, including roads, water and power.