Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (Nepco) plans to issue a request for qualification (RFQ) to prospective bidders in September for the development of its third independent power project (IPP).

The project was unveiled at the end of 2009, at which point Nepco said it intended to issue an RFQ to developers in by June 2010. The issue date has since been pushed back.

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

According to a Nepco official, the facility will have a generation capacity of 600MW, larger than the 400-500MW plant originally proposed in late 2009.

The site and fuel for the power plant are yet to be determined, but sources close to the project have indicated that Zarqa, located northeast from the capital, is the most likely location.

The project will be executed in two phases. The first phase will reach completion in 2013 and the second will be finished in 2014.

The US’ K&M Engineering & Consulting recently won the consultancy contract for the project in January. Nepco, which operates most of Jordan’s power network, will buy the output of the plant.

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.