ACWA, Abengoa make lowest bids for 350-MW of Morocco CSP - report

Nov 13, 2014 - The lowest bids in two tenders for up to 350 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity in Morocco have been made by tie-ups led by Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power International and Spanish firm Acciona (MCE:ANA), Reuters reported.

The ACWA-led consortium has proposed to build and operate the 200-MW Noor II plant, selling its output at USD 0.1601 (EUR 0.13) per kWh, the news agency said today, citing sources. Meanwhile, Acciona’s consortium is ready to sell the power from the 100-MW Noor III park at USD 0.1672/kWh.

Noor II is intended to use parabolic mirrors, while Noor I is to use the solar power tower structure, according to the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy’s (MASEN) plan. The two projects represent an expansion of the 160-MW Noor-Ouarzazate CSP plant in Morocco. This first phase facility, being built by ACWA, will be ready in 2015.

The results of two tenders will be announced in a few weeks, Reuters said.

Recently, the World Bank said it would provide USD 519 million in funding for the 350-MW expansion of the Noor-Ouarzazate CSP complex. Financing for the projects will also come from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Germany’s KfW, as well as from the European Commission and European Investment Bank (EIB).

(USD 1 = EUR 0.802)

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