8 firms vie for Hurghada solar project in Egypt

Eight companies have submitted bids for the 20-megawatt (MW) Hurghada Photovoltaic Power Plant Project in Egypt, an official was quoted on Wednesday as saying. 

Ihab Ismail, Deputy Chairman of New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) didn’t disclose the names of the bidders but said the project is expected to cost $91 million. 

“Bidding for this project will close on 23 Jan ….studying the bids and selecting the winning company will be before June next year,” Ismail told the Egyptian Arabic language daily Addustour. 

He said the project would be funded through a loan provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

NREA said on its website that it has received a Special Terms for Economic Partnership loan from JICA for financing the Hurghada solar project, which also includes a battery system with capacity of 30 MWh and operations and maintenance (O&M) services for a period of two years.

Ismail also revealed that the Authority has decided to defer a project to construct a 50-MW solar power station in the Southern Aswan city at a cost of $55 million. 

He said the move was due to cash shortage and that the Authority is considering resorting to the private sector to build the plant.