Oman utility sets new bid deadline for hybrid solar storage project
Oman’s Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer) has set a new submission date of 29 June for its planned project to develop 11 solar-diesel storage power projects with a combined capacity of 146MW.
The 11 sites are expected to have a total photovoltaic (PV) solar component of 48MW with a 70MW diesel component. Tanweer is planning for the plants to have a storage capacity of 28MW, which will provide up to 14MWh (MW hours) of storage.
Tanweer previously stated that while the sites have been tendered together, the tariff for each site may be different. The projects will be developed under a build, own, operate transfer (BOOT) framework. The initial power purchase agreements (PPAs) are expected to be for a period of 15 years.
Two diesel power plants will be developed at Madha, near the border with the UAE, and in Mittan in the southern Dhofar governorate.
PV solar capacity and battery energy storage (BESS) will be installed at all of the sites, which also include: Al-Mazyunah, Hasik, Farshat Qatbeet and Al-Hallaniyat islands, all in the southern Dhofar governorate, and also in Al-Khuwaimah and Masirah island in the Ash-Sharqiyah South governorate.
Tanweer’s advisers for the project includes US/India’s Synergy Consulting, UK law firm DLA Piper, and Netherland’s DNV.
Oman's government is planning for renewable energy to contribute 10 per cent of the country's total generating capacity in the main interconnected system by 2025.
Energy & Utilities reported in February that state utility Oman Power & Water Procurement Company (OPWP) was planning to issue tender documents for two planned 500-600MW photovoltaic (PV) solar independent power producer (IPP) projects in March.
After having received prequalification entries from 14 groups in August, OPWP prequalified nine groups in December last year to participate in the upcoming bidding round for the Manah 1 and Manah 2 projects.
According to sources close to the projects, the client is preparing to issue the request for proposals (RFP) to prequalified groups in March.
The following nine groups have been prequalified:
• Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), EDF Renewables (France)
• Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)
• Eni (Italy), SB Energy (Japan)
• Jinko Power (China)
• Korea Western Power Company (South Korea), Hanyang Corporation (South Korea), Solar Reserve (US), Nafath Renewable Energy (Oman)
• Marubeni Corporation (Japan)
• Power Construction Corporation of China
• Tag Energy, Al-Shanfari Group (Oman)
• Total Solar International (France)
The PV solar plants will be developed at Manah, 150km southwest of the capital Muscat. US/Indian Synergy Consulting has been appointed as financial adviser by OPWP, with DLA Piper providing legal advisory services and Germany's Fichtner providing technical advisory services.
The first 500MW is due to come online in 2022. A consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power is developing the Ibri 2 IPP project, having signed the final project agreements in May last year.
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