ArmInfo.Masrik solar plant construction tender bids submission term expires on June 16. This was stated by Gagik Badalyan, the Head of Energy Department od the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and natural Resources of the Repaublic of Armenia.
According to him, the nominal capacity of the first industrial solar plant in Armenia will be set at 55 mWt. But, depending on the design of the station, it is not ruled out that the capacity of the plant could be higher. As of today, Gagik Badalyan went on, the participation bids for the tender announced were submitted by 50 companies from different countries of the world. "The interest for the project is high. It is planned that until March 2018 the tender will be completed, and in late 2018 Armenia will get its first mighty solar plant," the department head said. he added also that according to preliminary data, the total volume of investments in this object of generation will form up to USD 65-70 mln, depending on the capacity. "The final figure of investments will be published upon the results of the tender," the department head stated adding that it is planned to build up industrial solar plants with total capacity of 110 mWt until the end of 2020.
To remind, an international tender on Masrik electric plant building was announced on April 28, with the installed power of 55Mwt. More than 40 companies express interest to tender only 10 from them, passing pre qualifying stage, would be able to continue the struggle, Hayk Harutyunyan, Armenian deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources stated today.
According to him, the bidding procedure assuming capable extended terms will last until 2018 Q2. Investor is being planned to be shown up at the first stage of the competition, concrete criteria are installed. Particularly, he should be experienced in solar electric plant building with total power not less than 100Mwt. This is done to attract serious companies in this project. The preparation of bidding procedure has been done for a long time. As a result of project implementation Armenia will receive concrete and lowest ever-solar electric plant on tariff. Deputy Minister refused to say the size of tariff, only noting that it should be more available in accordance to the thermal units' tariffs. "There is a hope that it would be in the limits of tariffs, installed for hydro energetic plants", Hayk Harutyunyan stressed, According to him, Armenia has good solar energy resources, and there are created good conditions for the investors. As it was informed earlier the Spanish company of Acciona, the worldwide leader of the renewable energy production, is intended to invest this year about EUR 600-700 mln in the construction of energy parks. The management of the company estimates to invest the same volumes in the projects of alternative electric power annually until the year of 2020. The total volumes of investments estimated for the current period forms EUR 3,5 bln, EUR 2 bln of which will be allocated for the construction of units located out of Spain. "We have studied proposals from more than 100 countries of the world, interested in solar and wind plants construction. Now we have to choose projects that will be priorities for us," Jose Manuel Entrecanales, the President of Acciona Company said at the meeting of shareholders
According to him, the company is intended not only to participate to the construction contract bidding in respect to construction of 50 mW capacity solar plant at the site of Masrik in Gegharkunik marz, but also to raise photo voltage generating units with a capacity of 150 mW. But there are some state guarantees of indemnity needed to launch the project, Araras said. "We want to enter Armenian market for a long time, for 25 years as the minimum, and we should be sure our investments will be protected," the representative of the Company said, adding that beside solar generation, the company is occupied in developing a wind energy plant in the area of lake Sevan.