The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) is set to receive bids for the construction of a 200mW solar power plant in Kom Ombo next month. Sources in the Ministry of Electricity told Daily News Egypt that 15 companies and consortiums have qualified in the qualifier tender, adding that the project will be awarded to one company instead of 10. Offers from companies were delayed more than once as officials of the Ministry of Electricity wished to complete contracts for the feed-in tariff projects prior to considering competitive bidding. According to the terms and conditions of the tender that was put forward in 2013, 10 qualified companies are supposed to set up solar power stations to produce 20mW each, with a total of 200mW. The sources said that all investors approved the proposed amendment in the project, so that the awarded company would launch a plant with a capacity of 200mW. The sources indicated that the ministry has completed the studies of the topographical and geotechnical survey of the project land in Aswan. Companies that qualified from the previous tender will pay to the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and EETC the cost of buying the topographic survey data, measurements, and project studies. The sources added that EETC will purchase the energy produced from the station and transfer them to distribution points for 20 years, as per the agreement. The project is part of the Ministry of Electricity's five-year plan 2012-2017, which aims to involve the private sector in the implementation of 67% of the projects developed by the sector to add about 3,500mW, including 2,800mW using thermal collector technologies and 700mW from photovoltaic cells. These projects are also part of the ministry's strategy to achieve a contribution of 20% from renewable energy to the total electricity produced by 2020.
