$0.0244/kWh Lowest Bid For Tunisia’s 500 MW Tender

• The 500 MW solar tender launched by Tunisia in May 2018 has finalized 5 bids for the 5 projects, according to a LinkedIn post by an advisor to the Ministry of Industry and Small & Medium Enterprises
• As per the information shared, Scatec Solar has offered the lowest bid of $0.0244 per kWh for a 200 MW project to be built in Tataouine
• Other 'leading international companies' whose bids have been finalized haven't been identified but all bids are under $0.03 per kWh

Norway's Scatec Solar has provided the lowest bid for a 500 MW solar PV tender in Tunisia offering to build 200 MW capacity in Tataouine for $0.0244 per kWh. Scatec Solar is one among the 16 contenders shortlisted for the tender launched in May 2018 (see Big Names Make Beeline For 500 MW Tunisia Tender).

According to a LinkedIn post by Mehdi Majoul, an advisor at the Ministry of Industry and Small & Medium Enterprises, the ministry received 8 bids for each of the 5 projects representing a total capacity of 500 MW. The bid offered by Scatec Solar is the 'lowest bid ever recorded in Africa and is among the lowest in the world', he said.

Apart from Scatec Solar, Majoul doesn't identify other companies that have offered bids but says these are leading international companies operating in the sector.

As per preliminary results from the opening of the financial offers and pending the technical results of the tender, Majoul says for the 100 MW Kairouan project the bid received is for $0.0286 per kWh, for 100 MW Gafsa it is $0.0272 per kWh and for Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur projects of 50 MW each, the bid is for $0.027 per kWh each.

Once awarded, the projects need to come online by 2021 and help the country bring down the cost of production of electricity nationwide while also lowering its dependence on expensive imported natural gas.

Recently, the Tunisian Ministry of Energy, Mines & Renewable Energies launched a 70 MW solar PV tender, its third such tender (see Tunisia Launches 3^rd 70 MW Auction Round).