NARI Group Corporation and B Electric are competing in a tender for the construction of a solar power plant in Zafarana with a capacity of 50MW. The New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) is expected to decide on the tender before the end of December.
A source in the NREA told Daily News Egypt that three companies, NARI, B Electric, and Vikram Solar have submitted their technical bids to the authority, but Vikram’s bid was rejected. The other two companies, then, presented their financial bids, and the NREA will study them next month to choose the winning company in December.
The source added that the NREA is examining the offers submitted, in cooperation with Intech Energy, a consultant of solar power projects. They are also discussing the energy purchase tariff from the Zafarana project, which will not be the same purchasing tariff that the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has approved for other stations.
The Ministry of Electricity aims to produce 20% of the country’s total energy from new and renewable resources by 2022, and open the way for the private sector and Arab and international companies to invest in projects.
The source pointed out that the numerous requests submitted to the NREA for investment in renewable energy prove the sector’s ability to attract foreign direct investment to the country.
The existing projects include the 545MW Zafarana wind farm, the 580MW Gabel El Zeit wind farm complex, the 140MW Integrated Solar Combined-Cycle (ISCC) plant in Kuraymat, and the first 26MW solar cell project in Kom Ombo, as well as the feed-in tariff projects in Benban, Aswan.
The source pointed out that the Ministry of Electricity intends to offer tenders for launching 300MW projects next year, most of which will be implemented by the private sector, whether through tenders, auctions, BOO schemes, or others.
