Eritrea: Asmara Recruits Consultant for Dekemhare Solar Power Plant (30 MWp)
The Eritrean government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are launching a tender to select a consultant to assist in the construction of a 30 MWp solar photovoltaic power plant near the town of Dekemhare. Interested consultancies have until 20 February 2022 to apply.
In the framework of the Dekemhare solar project in Eritrea, the government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are launching a call for expressions of interest to recruit a consulting firm. The consultant is expected to assist the relevant authorities in all stages of the project, in particular in the tendering process, including contract negotiations. The consultant will also contribute to the review and approval of detailed designs, EPC contractor construction procedures, and technical reports, as well as the supervision of the construction works.
In addition to the development phase, the consultant’s role will extend to Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) for major equipment and supervision of the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). The contract will also cover capacity building for the project executing agency, including operation and maintenance of solar PV and battery storage systems, monitoring and control, solar energy forecasting, and incorporation into the daily dispatch schedule.
The project involves the construction of a 30 MWp solar PV plant outside the town of Dekemhare, 40 km southeast of Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. The plant will be connected to a battery power storage system to stabilize the grid of the state-owned Eritrean Electricity Corporation (EEC). The Eritrean government is also planning to build a 66 kV substation and a 500 m transmission line.
Consulting firms interested in the tender have until 20 February 2023 to apply. The construction of the Dekemhare solar power plant in the Debub region is part of Asmara’s policy to diversify its electricity mix. The East African country is 90% dependent on fossil fuels, notably diesel, for its electricity generation, according to the 2015 report of the International Energy Agency (IEA).