Kosovo unveils winner of maiden 100-MW solar tender

A consortium led by Swiss construction group Orllati is the winner in Kosovo’s first solar power tender, securing a 100-MW project with a bid of EUR 48.88 (USD 52.71) per MWh, the Balkan country’s government said on Friday.

Kosovo’s maiden competition for photovoltaic (PV) power was completed after four electronic bidding sessions. According to the Ministry of Economy’s data, bidding started with 43 offers with a closing price of EUR 57.00/MWh, which was reduced to EUR 48.88/MWh by the last round.

The competition initially attracted six bidders, including Orllati, but only five took part in the e-auction -- Calik-Limak from Turkey, France’s Akuo Energy, Egypt’s Elswedy Electric, and Turkey’s Guris Insaat Muhendishik.

The final winner receives the right to develop a 100-MW solar project in the municipality of Rahovec. To be built at a cost of over EUR 70 million, the PV park is expected to help lower Kosovo’s reliance on power imports and promote the further deployment of renewable energy capacity.

The Energy Ministry said the solar tender was the first of “many more” procurements to be announced by the country, starting with an auction for 150 MW of wind power capacity. Under a recently unveiled plan, Kosovo will seek to hold competitions in the next two years for the construction of 950 MW of renewable energy projects, valued at EUR 1.2 billion.