Kuwait’s cabinet has cancelled a tender for five 300MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plants comprising the 1.5GW Al-Dabdaba project, intended to be built in the planned Shagaya renewables park 100km west of Kuwait City. Start-up was slated for 2021. The cabinet’s decision was attributed to “the spread of coronavirus and its impact on the global oil and financial markets.” Local daily Al Rai on 5 July reported that the lowest bid for the project was KD439mn ($1.43bn).
State refiner KNPC originally issued the tender for Al-Dabdaba in September 2018. Kuwait started up the 70MW Shagaya renewables plant at the park in June 2019, comprising a 50MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, a 10MW solar photovoltaic unit and a 10MW wind unit (MEES, 29 May). (CONTINUED - 121 WORDS)