ArmInfo. In Armenia, the second stage of the contest for the construction of a solar power plant of industrial importance "Masrik-1" was announced, following which the name of the company that will build the station will be known. According to the press service of the Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the source, the main requirement for tenderers is the tariff issue. The winner will be the company or consortium that will offer the lowest tariff. 10 companies and one consortium are eligible to participate in the second round of the competition, which correspond to prequalification requirements. At the first prequalification stage, 20 companies submitted their applications, of which the tender commission selected 10 well-known companies from the Netherlands, the USA, South Korea, Germany and other countries. The tender process is expected to be completed in April 2018, after which the winner will have to build the largest solar power plant in the region with a capacity of 55 MW within 2 years.
According to ArmInfo, the total amount of investment in this generation facility will be $ 65-70 million. Earlier in a conversation with the reporter of ArmInfo Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources Hayk Harutyunyan reported that the prequalification tender was announced on April 28 and ended on June 10 last year. As a result of the project, Armenia will receive a competitive and record low solar power plant. The deputy minister refused to name the size of the tariff, pointing out only that it should be more affordable in comparison with the tariff from thermal blocks. "There is a hope that it will be within the tariffs established for hydropower facilities," Hayk Harutyunyan noted. According to him, Armenia has a good resource for solar energy, and good conditions have been created for investors.
Earlier the Public Services Regulatory Commission issued a license for the construction of 12 photovoltaic stations up to 1 MW each with a total installed capacity of 10 MW. Of these, three solar power plants have already been commissioned.
The total cost of the program for the construction of solar power stations in Armenia is $ 129 million. A feasibility study for the construction of solar power stations has already been prepared. Within the framework of the program it is planned to build solar power stations with a capacity of up to 110 megawatts in various regions of Armenia. Of the 6 surveyed areas in two, the Spanish consulting company Aries Engineering has already submitted feasibility studies. They relate to the localities of "Masrik" in Gegharkunik district and "Dashtadem" in Aragatsotn district, studies on the remaining four localities continue.