Saudi Arabia issues tenders for 1GW third round PV solar projects
Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office (Repdo) has issued the tender documents for the two Category B projects under the third round of the kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP), which will have a combined total capacity of 1GW.
Prequalfied developers have until 23 September to submit proposals for the 700MW Al-Rass independent power producer (IPP) project and the 300MW Saad PV IPP. The client stated in the request for proposals (RFP) that it was giving developer six months to work on bids rather than the usual four months due to the travel and other restrictions currently in place to tackle the Covid-19 outbreak.
The client is planning to shortlist bidders for the projects by 19 November.
Repdo will issue tender documents for the smaller Category A projects, the 120MW Wadi al-Dawasir PV IPP and the 80MW Layla PV IPP, before the end of April.
The full list of the 49 firms prequalified to participate in the tender for the Category A and B projects can be found on the Repdo website.
Each project will be developed under a build-own-operate (BOO) model, with the successful bidder holding 100 per cent equity in the special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up to developer and operate the IPP.
Energy & Utilities recently reported that Repdo had shortlisted the preferred bidders for five of the six PV solar projects under the second round of the NREP.
Round two winners
For the 300MW Jeddah photovoltaic PV IPP, Repdo shortlisted the two lowest bidders as the two shortlisted bidders for the project.
The consortium of the UAE’s Masdar, France’s EDF and the local Nesma Holding was ranked first shortlisted bidder with a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) tariff of SRhalalas6.09 per kilowatt hour (SRh/kWh), $cents1.62/kWh in US dollars.
The second ranked shortlisted bidder was a consortium of the local Acwa Power, Kuwait’s GIC and the local Al-Babtain with a LCOE tariff of SRh6.215/kWh.
For the 300MW Rabigh PV IPP, Repdo shortlisted a consortium of Japan’s Marubeni Corporation and the local Al-Jomaih Energy & Water Company with a LCOE tariff of SRhalalas6.38kWh, the second lowest submitted LCOE. Masdar had submitted the lowest LCOE, but due to it being shortlisted as first bidder for the Jeddah project, it was out of the running for the Rabigh project.
The second ranked shortlisted bidder was the Acwa Power/GIC/Al-Babtain consortium with a bid of SR6.597/kWh.
The Acwa Power consortium was selected as first ranked bidder for the 200MW Qurrayat IPP with a submitted LCOE of SR6.688/kWh. A consortium of France’s Total Solar and local firms Al-Gihaz Holding Company and Altaaqa Alternative Solutions was ranked second shortlisted bidder with a LCOE tariff of SRh6.785/kWh.
For the largest capacity project in the NREP’s second round, the 600MW Al-Faisaliah PV IPP, Repdo has invited the two lowest bidders, the Masdar and Acwa Power consortiums to submit best and final offers (BAFO) by 19 April.
Category A projects
Repdo has also shortlisted bidders for the two smaller Category A projects under the second round. The client received bids from consortiums led by the local Al-Blagha Holding group and US-based First Solar on 3 February for the 50MW Medina PV IPP and the 20MW Rafha PV IPP projects.
For the 50MW Medina PV IPP, the Al-Blagha Holding for Investments Company/Alfanar (local)/ Desert Technologies Industries was ranked first shortlisted bidder with a LCOE tariff of SRh7.27/kWh. The First Solar/ Al-Mowah (local) consortium was second shortlisted bidder with a tariff of SRh11.35/kWh.
For the 20MW Rafha project, the Al-Blagha consortium was once again ranked first shortlisted bidder with a LCOE tariff of SRh13.0772/kWh. The First Solar consortium had submitted a tariff of SRh19.04/kWh.
The successful bidders for both Category A and B projects will sign a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Saudi Procurement Company (SPPC) as offtaker.
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