The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is looking to hire the services of a consultant to help prepare and implement a competitive tender for 5 solar PV sites with up to 150 MW total capacity in Armenia. The said project sites have been shortlisted by the Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund (R2E2), the bank informed.

These 5 sites were shortlisted after the successful auction of 55 MW Masrik-1 as pilot project in 2018 to FRV and FSL Solar (see 55 MW Armenian PV Project Seeking EBRD & IFC Support).

Additional 5 PV sites identified will be up for grabs under an international public tender. According to the job description for the prospective consultant, the bank said it would involve supporting Armenian authorities on sizing and splitting the 5 short-listed PV sites into different projects to be tendered under a single competitive bidding process. The design for the tender process will be built on the framework for the previous tender and providing detailed financial, technical and legal assistance for the implementation of the scheme.

EBRD expects the assignment to be funded by Japan-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and other such funding programs of the bank.

Interested consultants can submit their bids by September 4, 2019. Detailed tender terms and conditions can be viewed online on EBRD’s website.

These solar PV projects are parts of a strategy to become less reliant on energy imports. Almost 50% of its current gas-fired capacity is ageing and requires replacement in the medium term. It also relies on imported power from Russia through Georgia and Iran currently.

UAE’s Masdar is exploring the country to develop 500 MW of solar PV, floating solar and onshore wind power and in July 2019 signed a MoU with Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) to collaborate for the same (see Masdar Heads To Armenia For Wind/Solar Opportunities).