EDL extends bid for Deir Ammar and Zahrani

Winning firm will
supervise plants operation

Electricité du Liban (EDL) has extended the bidding period for firms applying for the supervision and management of operations at its Deir Ammar and Zahrani power plants until August 9. The last day for biding was previously set at October 12, 2012.

The contract’s mandate is five. The two plants are currently being operated and maintained by the Malaysian company YTL. years.

The Cabinet had earlier awarded a contract to build a new power production unit at the Deir Ammar facility to J&P Avax, a Greek-Cypriot joint venture. Construction was supposed to begin last March. “The construction of the plant had not yet begun due to the security turmoil in the north,” said Raymond Ghajar, Advisor at the Ministry of Energy and Water.

The winning bidder’s offer price for the project was around $472 million for a plant with an output of 450 MW. The government has to provide the funds and agree on the performance bond, which determines the work commitment required for the plant’s construction. Ghajar said: “The contract should be modified and this is not an easy task since some 500 employees will be mobilized.”