CONSORTIUMS led by utility majors including French group EDF Renouvelables; Hong Kong-based Jinko Power and Chinese group Tianjin Zhonghuan New Energy as well as regional giants Saudi-based Acwa Power and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) have been shortlisted as qualified bidders by Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects for the Al Dibdibah Power and Al Shagaya Renewable Energy – Phase III – Zone 2 Solar PV IPP.

KAPP, the central governmental agency for tendering PPP projects within Kuwait, is implementing this renewable power project in collaboration with the Ministry of Electricity and Water and Renewable Energy (MEWRE) of Kuwait.

As per the list released by KAPP, only three companies – France’s TotalEnergies Renewables and Turkish firms  Limak Yatirim Enerji Uretim Sirketi Isletme Hizmetleri ve Insaat and Kalyon Enerji Yatirimlari Anonim Sirketi – have expressed interest to single-handedly implement the project.

The qualified consortiums are:

• Acwa Power with consortium partner Alternative Energy Projects Company;

• EDF Renouvelables with Abdullah Al Hamad Al Sagar and Bros. and Korean Western Power (Kowepo);

• Jinko Power with Combined Group Contracting;

• Masdar with Fouad Alghanim & Sons General Trading and Contracting Company;

• Swift Control Management Systems with Kuwait-based Arizona National for General Trading and Contracting; and

• Chinese group Tianjin Zhonghuan New Energy with Sinotec Company and Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al Kharafi and Sons.

According to KAPP, the winning bidder will be responsible for the design, funding, construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) of the 500 MW plant. The project will benefit from power purchase deal with MEWRE as the offtaker for a 30-year term.

Once operational, it will export the output from the plant to Kuwait’s electricity grid and transmission network.