RFP issued for 1.5 GW Solar PV plant in UAE

Emirates Water and Electricity Co. (EWEC) has issued a request for proposals for the 1.5 GW Al-Ajban solar photovoltaic (PV) project from companies shortlisted through a request for qualification process in May 2022.

A total of 43 firms and groups submitted expressions of interest, of which 19 qualified for the current phase of the procurement process. The project will entail the design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the plant, as well as the infrastructure associated with it. The solar facility is expected to power 160,000 houses across UAE and will offset 6 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions per year. 

With the selected developer, EWEC will execute a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). Under the terms of the deal, EWEC will only pay for the net electrical energy produced by the solar facility. 40 % of the entity will be owned by the winning consortium while the rest of the stake is held by the Abu Dhabi Government.

Responses to the RFP are expected by the end of Q1 2023.