Meed | Oman extends Ibri 3 prequalification deadline

Oman extends Ibri 3 prequalification deadline

5 March 2024

Nama Power & Water Procurement Company (Nama PWP) has extended the deadline for interested utility developers to submit their statements of qualifications for a contract to develop and operate the sultanate's next solar independent power producer (IPP) project, Ibri 3.

The client has set 7 March as the last day for companies to submit their prequalification documents. The previous deadline was 19 February.

MEED reported in November that KPMG Lower Gulf, a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based consultancy company, has been selected to provide financial advisory services to Nama PWP for the Ibri 3 solar IPP project.

The scheme is Oman's fourth utility-scale solar power plant project.

The country’s first major solar photovoltaic (PV) project, Ibri 2, came onstream in September 2021 and was officially inaugurated in January 2022.

Construction work has started or is about to start for the Manah 1 and Manah 2 solar projects, each with a capacity of 500MW.

In March last year, Oman Power & Water Procurement Company (OPWP) signed the power-purchase agreements (PPA) for the Manah 1 and Manah 2 solar IPP projects.

The two 500MW solar plants are expected to be operational by 2025 and will be backed by a 20-year PPA with OPWP.

A team comprising France’s EDF and South Korea’s Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo) won the contract to develop the Manah 1 solar PV IPP project.

A team of Singapore’s Sembcorp Industries and China-headquartered Jinko Power Technology was awarded the second 500MW solar PV IPP contract.

In addition to the Ibri 3 solar IPP project, several other solar and wind IPP projects, as well as battery energy storage facilities, are being planned in the sultanate.

Solar power installed capacity accounts for an estimated 5.5% of Oman's total installed power generation capacity of approximately 12,600MW. It aims to increase this ratio six-fold by 2030.

MEED’s January 2024 special report on Oman includes:

> COMMENT: Muscat needs to stimulate growth
> GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY: Muscat performs tricky budget balancing act
> BANKING: Oman banks look to projects for growth
> OIL & GAS: Oman diversifies hydrocarbons value chain
> POWER & WATER: Oman expands grid connectivity
> HYDROGEN: Oman seeks early hydrogen success
> CONSTRUCTION: Oman construction is back on track