Bhutan's Ministry of Economic Affairs, through its Department of Renewable Energy, has invited bids for a 17.38 MW solar power plant that's to be funded from an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan and is open to bidders from all eligible source countries of the bank.
The Sephu Solar PV Power Plant will be located in Sephu region of Bhutan in Wangdue Phodrang district that's marked with rugged terrain and snow fall during winter. Broad scope of work for the project spans design, procurement, construction and completion of the facility.
Eligible bidders should have designed, engineered, tested, commissioned, and installed and integrated a a ground mounted grid tied solar PV project of at least 10 MW AC capacity.
Payment for the contract will be made from a loan that the Royal Government of Bhutan has applied for with the ADB, towards the cost for the Renewable Energy for Climate Resilience Project.
Last date to submit bids is specified as September 19, 2022. Further details are available on the department's website.
In November 2020, the bank approved a $3 million grant from Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) for Bhutan to encourage the adoption of small scale solar PV systems for poor rural households. Back then the bank was also in talks with the government to deploy a 30 MW solar power plant at Shingkhar in Bumthang district and 17 MW project at Sephu (see ADB Supporting Bhutan To Adopt Solar Power).