Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (Nepco) has sent a request for qualification (RFQ) to developers for an independent power project (IPP).

Companies have until 30 September to respond to the RFQ. The selected developer will build the plant on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis at a site in Amman East.

The project was unveiled at the end of 2009, at which point Nepco said it intended to issue an RFQ to developers by June 2010. The issue date was subsequently pushed back as Nepco and its adviser, US firm K&M Engineering & Consulting, finalised the specifications of the project (MEED 26:8:10).

Under Nepco’s updated schedule for the development of the project a request for proposals (RFP) will be sent to prequalified bidders in November or December.

The bidders will be requested to propose a base bid and a peaking option. For the base bid, the project will consist of a power generating facility with capacity of 300 to 350MW at site reference conditions with an expected annual capacity factor of approximately 60 per cent.

For the peaking option, the project will consist of a power generating facility with a capacity of 200-250MW at site reference conditions using either diesel engine technology or combustion turbines operating in simple cycle with an expected annual capacity factor of 40 per cent.

This facility will be at the same location as the base bid facility. Capacity of any single peaking unit for the alternative bid must not exceed 40MW at site conditions.

Nepco will award to the sponsor either the base bid or the base bid with alternative bid. The desired commercial operation date for the base bid and alternative bid is 2013-2014.

For both options the project will use heavy fuel oil (HFO) as main fuel, natural gas as secondary and light distillate as tertiary.

The bidders will be responsible for selecting HFO of the quality suitable for the equipment proposed. Responsibility for liquid fuel procurement (HFO or distillate) will be determined at a later stage of the tender process. Nepco will supply natural gas when available.

Nepco, which operates most of Jordan’s power network, will also buy the output of the plant for a period of 25 years.

The project is Jordan’s third IPP. The previous two private power schemes were implemented under the Energy & Mineral Resources Ministry.

The Almanakher IPP, which began operating in August 2009, was developed by a team of Dubai-based AES Oasis and Japan’s Mitsui & Company.

The ministry awarded the second IPP, at Al-Qatrana, to a team of Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) and Saudi Arabia’s Xenel Industries in mid-2008.