The tender for Yemen’s first three independent power projects (IPPs) is facing further delays as the government continues to negotiate the power off-take guarantee for the facilities.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the Washington-headquartered World Bank, is acting as adviser to the Electricity & Energy Ministry. It must receive permission from the Yemeni government before it can issue a request for prequalification for the pilot IPPs.

MEED reported in December that Yemen was planning to invite developers to prequalify for the scheme within weeks. More than 40 companies had expressed interest in the scheme (MEED 1:12:09). 

The selected developer will build a 150MW plant at Aden in the south, another 150MW plant at Hodeidah in the west, and a third plant with capacity of 75MW at Al-Mukalla, east of Aden.

The US’ K&M Consulting & Engineering, the UK’s Norton Rose with the local Al-Suwaidi & Luqman, and PricewaterhouseCoopers are the technical, legal and accounting advisers respectively.