Rumors have surfaced that the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is on the lookout for a financial advisor for a planned 800 MW solar project.
With DEWA's last tender the 200 MW second phase of the 1 GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoun Solar Park having set a world record levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) figure of just 5.8 US cents/kWh, the world is bound to be alerted by what appears to be the first step in a planned new tender.
pv magazine‘s source says DEWA typically selects a financial advisor and then a technical advisor before issuing a tender.
The state-run infrastructure company of the emirate of Dubai had previously announced an ambition to have the solar park up and running by 2030, as part of the Dubai's aim to source 5 per cent of its energy from solar by that date.
Accelerated project timescale
But with the first 13 MW phase of the park connected and the 200 MW second phase due to be operational by April 2017, another tender would likely significantly accelerate the project timescale.
Attempts to confirm the imminent arrival of a tender for the third phase, or even that the 800 MW project in question is part of the 1 GW solar park, have so far foundered with DEWA failing to respond to emailed questions from pv magazine and a spokesman for the Middle East Solar Industry Association unaware of any forthcoming tender.
The winners of the record-breaking second phase tender, announced in January, were also unavailable for comment.
ACWA Power, the Saudi infrastructure company, was not answering the telephone today (weekend in the Arab world), and pv magazine was unable to contact a spokesman for Spanish engineering firm TSK by telephone or email before going to press.
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