Oman reveals final bidders of 500 MW solar tender

Only three consortia are now competing to build huge solar park: one formed by Masdar, Total and Jinko; another led by Saudi energy company ACWA; and a third group of companies led by Japan’s Marubeni Corporation and the Oman Gas Company (OGC). The tender is expected to be finalized early next year.
The government of Oman wants to add 4 GW of renewables generation by 2030. | Image: Andrew Moore/Flickr

The Oman Power and Water Procurement company (OPWP) has revealed the three final bidders for the 500 MW solar tender it launched in January.

The OPWP said the bidders are three international consortia. One comprises UAE-based developer Masdar with Total Solar – the solar unit of French oil company Total – and Chinese module manufacturer Jinko. A second alliance consists of Saudi energy company ACWA Power and Kuwaiti companies Gulf Investment Corporation G.S.C. (GIC), and Alternative Energy Projects Co. (AEPC).

The final contender is formed by Japanese trading and investment business conglomerate Marubeni Corporation with the Oman Gas Company (OGC), Qatar-based power development and investment company Nebras Power, and Omani concern Bahwan Renewable Energy Company LLC, with that grouping this year awarded the contract to build another 100 MW solar power plant tendered by the Petroleum Development Oman LLC (PDO), also in January.

“The evaluation of bids is currently under way and [the] OPWP expects to finalize the award by early next year,” said the tendering company in a statement.

The OPWP revealed in April it had pre-qualified 12 developers, after a list of 28 initial applicants had been released in early March. The $500 million PV park will be developed as an independent power project, and will be located in Ibri, around 300km west of Muscat.

Oman is planning to tender and build further solar plants up to 2024. A tender for another 500 MW solar project was launched in October.

All the projects are part of the Omani government’s plan to add around 4 GW of renewable generation capacity by 2030.

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