RFP Issued For 1 GW Solar Tender In Oman

• OPWP has issued a statement announcing request for proposals round for its 1 GW solar tender
• 9 consortiums that pre-qualified for the previous round need to submit detailed proposals
• Both the projects are to have 500 MW capacity each and need to be commissioned by 2023

The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) has offered an update to its 1 GW solar PV tender launched in July 2019. It has now issued a request for proposals (RFP) documents to all the 9 consortiums that pre-qualified.

In December 2019, the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) pre-qualified 9 consortiums for its 1 GW solar power tender to be developed in the form of 2 projects each with an estimated capacity of 500 MW to 600 MW (see OPWP Identifies Pre-Qualifiers For Over 1 GW PV Tender).

Referring to an OPWP statement, TradeArabia News Service reported that for each 500 MW project, the scope of work includes development, finance, design, engineering, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the plant and its associated facilities. Both 500 MW facilities will be co-located on over 1,200 hectares of land in Manah region's Wilayat location. The will be tagged Manah I and Manah II independent power projects (IPP).

A number of big names are participating in the competition including Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power that's already building Ibri II Solar Project in Oman with 575 MW DC/500 MW AC capacity (see Chinese Trackers For Ibri II Oman PV Project), as well as a Marubeni Corporation led consortium that completed the 100 MW Amin PV Project for Petroleum Development Oman recently (see 100 MW PV For Oil Offtaker In Oman).

The entire 1 GW capacity is scheduled to enter commercial operations during the summer of 2023. It will help Oman in its quest to have about 2.8 GW of renewables contribute between 10% to 16% of the total grid connected generation capacity by 2025.