Gipuzkoa signs Zubieta waste to energy PPP

The government of Guipuzkoa, Basque country (Spain) and Urbaser-Meridiam consortium have signed the Zubieta waste-to-energy plant PPP.

Ekondakin, comprised of Meridiam Investments, Urbaser, Altuna y Uria, Moyua, Murias and LKS, will be the concessionaire for the project for a period of 32 years. Guipuzkoa will pay the concessionaire €768 million (US$820 million) during the concession.

In mid December the Urbaser-Meridiam consortium emerged as the front-runner for the Zubieta waste-to-energy plant PPP by submitting the lowest bid for the project.

The consortium will be responsible for the construction, finance, operation and maintenance of a waste to energy plant with capacity to treat approximately 200,000 tones per year. In addition, the consortium in charge of the concession will have rights on the revenues for the power generated, which is expected to be 160.000 MWh per year.

The total project investment is estimated at €217.6 million (US$243 million). 

In early November we informed that three consortia submitted bids for the Zubieta waste-to-energy plant. The selected consortia were formed by international companies and local firms, including: 

• Valoriza Servicios Medioambientales S.A. and Valoriza Gestión. S.A. (subsidiaries of Sacyr Group) and Construcciones y Promociones Balzola, S.A.
• Urbaser S.A., Meridiam Investments SAS, Altuna y Uria S.A, Construcciones Moyua S.L, Construcciones Murias S.A. and LKS Ingeniería S.COOP;
• Fomento Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) with Sartech Engineering, part of Sarralle Group.