Dubai (UAE) starts prequalification for 900 MW solar project

Emirati state-held utility Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) has issued a tender for the development of 900 MW of solar capacity to be located within the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum park in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). This will be the fifth phase of the project and will be commissioned in the first half of 2021. The produced power will be sold to DEWA under the framework of a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). Interested bidders are invited to submit a statement of qualification (SoQ) by the end of March 2019.



The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project is a giant solar PV and CSP project developed by DEWA and set to have an overall power capacity of 5 GW by 2030 for a total cost of AED50bn (US$13.6bn). The first phase of 13 MW was commissioned in 2013 and the second phase of 200 MW followed in March 2017. The third phase will entail 800 MW of photovoltaic capacity and is slated for commercial operations by 2020. The fourth phase is set for commissioning in 2020 and will consist of 700 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity, including a 600 MW parabolic basin complex (CSP capacity) and a 100 MW solar tower.



This announcement comes less than a month after the other Emirati state-held power and water utility Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC)  issued a tender for the development of a 2,000 MW solar PV independent power project at Al Dhafra, near Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). The competitive process to select a developer or a developing consortium is going on and potential partners have until the beginning of March 2019 to bid and submit their application.