Hardap warms up to solar

The country’s third solar power farm will be constructed in the Hardap Region following an announcement by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, after the awarding of a tender to Spanish outfit, Alten Renewable Energy B.V. earlier this week.
“The Ministry of Mines and Energy in 2014, through the National Project Steering Committee, issued a bid for the construction, operation and owning of Solar PV Power Plants in the country. Following a competitive bidding process, an Independent Power Producer consortium, Alten Renewable Hardap has been selected as the successful bidder,” said Mines and Energy spokesperson, Ten Hasheela.
The 35 MW Solar PV Plant will be financed through equity from the shareholders in the Project Company, as well as debt procured from local and regional lenders. The Target Commercial Operation Date of the plant is set as 7 December 2016. The Base Tariff agreed for the project is at 88,8 N$c/kWh, the lowest tariff thus far achieved for a Solar PV development in Namibia, Hasheela explained.
Said Hasheela, “the responsive Bid Submissions were evaluated thereafter for technical compliance. All responsive Bid Submissions were found to be technically compliant and their Financial Proposals were opened and evaluated. The ranking and selection of the Bid Submissions and the identification of the first and second ranked Bidder per Site was based on the best Bid Submissions on each Site. The first ranked Bidder achieved the best overall score and also offered the lowest Base Tariff on all three Sites.”
After the Tender had closed on 1 October 2015, it became evident that land at the Omburu and Osona sites respectively was no longer available for the intended purpose due to factors outside the control of NamPower. A decision was then taken to relocate the capacities planned for the Omburu and Osona sites in the Solar PV Project to the Hardap Site, according to Hasheela.
“The terms of the overall scope of work for the Power Project was confirmed and accepted by the preferred Bidder, including the relocation of the Omburu and Osona Sites. The chairperson of the National Project Steering Committee (PSC) for the implementation of Renewable Procurement Mechanisms confirmed that the Bid for this national project was awarded to Alten Renewable Hardap on 7 December 2015,” Hasheela said.
Alten Renewable Hardap is co-owned by Alten Renewables B.V, a Spanish company and Sashi, a Namibian company owned by previously disadvantaged Namibians. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. Obeth Kandjoze in his meeting with the National PSC, expressed appreciation towards all the Bidders who participated the Tender and noted that he was satisfied that due diligence was followed and that the evaluation process of the Tenders was comprehensive, credible, professional and transparent.