Abu Dhabi's solar tender brings bids below USD 25/MWh - report

An Asian consortium is proposing to build a solar power complex of 1,170 MW in Abu Dhabi and sell the electricity at just USD 23 (EUR 20.5) per MWh, The National said today, citing sources that want to remain private.

The same consortium made the lowest bid of USD 24.2/MWh in the emirate’s tender for the right to build and operate the 350-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) park in Sweihan. A local company has offered USD 25.3/MWh, the second-best bid, according to the report.

The procurement subsidiary at the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) will announce the winner after the economic viability and quality of the bids are evaluated. At first, the call for expression of interest resulted in a list of 90 companies, then 34 pre-qualified and finally only seven remained in the competition. Names such as Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL), TSK, Engie (EPA:ENGI) and Saudi Arabian companies Acwa Power and Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) left the race earlier this summer, The National said.

A bid of USD 29.1 per MWh in Chile’s power supply auction last month was considered the lowest for solar power globally up until today. In June, Dubai made headlines with a USD-29.9-per-MWh offer for a 800-MW solar power tender.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.893)

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