Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has invited companies to prequalify for the Quweira solar plant for the second time, with minor changes having made to the scope of the project since the prequalification process was first carried out in 2013.

Contractors have been invited to submit prequalification entries for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the 65-75MW photovoltaic (PV) solar plant in Quweira, southern Jordan. MEMR has set a deadline of 4 December for prequalification entries.

In addition to installing the PV plant, the contract will involve the provision of all required civil infrastructure works including access and internal roads, and the provision of operation and maintenance (O&M) services when the facility is completed.

MEMR previously prequalified 15 companies in October 2013 to participate in the tender, but has now decided to redo the prequalification process. The previous 15 companies prequalified to participate in the tender were:

• ABB (Switzerland)
• Acciona Energia (Spain)
• Belectric Solarkraftwerke (Germany)
• Constructora Sanjose (Spain)
• Elecnor (Spain)
• First Solar Electric (US)
• Gestamp Asetym Solar (Solar)
• Hanwha Q Cells (Germany)
• Isolux Ingenieria (Spain)
• Juwi International (Germany)
• Larsen & Toubro (India)
• Solar World (US)
• Sterling & Wilson (India)
• Sunedison Italia Construction
• TSK Electronica Electricidad (Spain)

While the procurement process for the Quweira project has been delayed, progress with the project will please firms in the renewable energy sector, with Jordan having failed to live up to expectations in 2014.

While projects under the first phase of its direct proposal renewable energy programme received approval in the early part of the year, since then, Amman has delayed the second phase and cancelled the third phase of the programme.

The largest PV solar project currently under way in the kingdom is the 52.5MW Shams Maan plant. The plant is being developed by the Shams Maan Power Generation Company, which has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with National Electric Power Company (Nepco).

In August, the US’ First Solar was awarded the EPC contract to build the Shams Maan plant. The firm will also provide long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the project.  

The plant will be the country’s largest installed PV solar facility. The PV facility is expected to produce 160 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity a year, with capacity to power more than 35,000 homes. The renewable energy will cut down on about 90,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. This is equivalent to taking 20,000 cars off the road each year.