Kuwait seeks to pre-qualify bidders in 500-MW solar tender

The Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) has opened a tender for the construction of two solar parks that will add 500 MW of capacity in the country’s Al Jahra Governorate.

The Request for Qualification (RfQ) was released on Saturday, inviting companies and consortia to take part in the bidding process. The competitive round concerns the design, financing, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the Dabdaba Power Generation Project and the Shagaya Renewable Energy Project (Phase III – Project II), whose ownership will be transferred back to the government after 30 years.

Interested parties will be able to submit their proposals by July 24.

The photovoltaic (PV) farms are set to be built in Al-Shagaya, in Kuwait's Jahra region, around 100 kilometers west of Kuwait City. Once in operation, the complex will supply green electricity to Kuwait’s national power grid, with the output to be sold to the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy (MEWRE) under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).

The capacity will be installed within the Shagaya Renewable Energy Park, which hosts several renewable parks across the wind, solar, concentrated solar power (CSP) and battery storage technologies.

Kuwait aims to lift the share of renewables in its energy mix to 15% by the end of 2030.

Local media reported earlier this month that the oil-rich Gulf emirate is exploring options to build four solar power plants totalling 2 GW in a bid to boost generation capacity and alleviate summer power shortages.