US Primesouth to operate
two power plants

A five-year contract worth $339 million

The Ministry of Energy and Water has approved U.S. firm Primesouth’s bid to operate and maintain the Zahrani and Deir Amar power plants. A five-year, $339 million contract will be signed with the energy infrastructure specialist.

Participants in the bid included another U.S. firm, HPI, which offered a higher bid. An Indian company, KSSR, also participated in the tender, but was disqualified because it failed to meet the technical requirements of the terms of reference. Swiss firm AF Consult was the bid evaluation consultant.

Primesouth will succeed Malaysian firm YTL Power Services, whose mandate began in 2011. Its contract, valued at $256 million, expires on February 15. EDL said the present offer has a higher value because the company is planning major overhauls and to raise employees’ salaries.

The two power plants have a combined power generation of 900 megawatts (MW), representing 40 percent of total production.

The approval follows that of the Ministry of Finance and Electricité du Liban.