A total of 44 companies are in the race to prequalify for a 200-MW solar power plant project in Egypt which will be set up on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis, said a report.

All of them have obtained the tender conditions for the project proposed by the government, reported the Daily News Egypt, citing sources in the Ministry of Electricity.

Those in the fray include Sterling and Wilson, Enel Energy, FAS, Abdul Latif Jameel, Acwa Power, Orascom, SunEdison, First Solar, Lekela Power, Al Tawakol, Elsewedy Electric, Gigawatt Global, Terra Sola, Sun Power, and Scatec Solar.

Among the conditions put forth by the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), bidders must have experience in establishing at least three solar power plants of no less than 50 MW.  Technical and financial bids and proposals will be presented on November 2 for the project for which five firms will be shortlisted.