Algeria accepts 77 bids in 2-GW solar auction

Algeria's state-owned utility Sonelgaz has accepted 77 proposals for solar energy projects after opening the technical bids in an auction that aims to award 2 GW of capacity across the North African country.

A total of 90 bids were submitted by Algerian and foreign companies. Among the successful proposals, 50 came from foreign developers, 18 were filed by local companies and nine were made by consortiums of both local and international companies, Sonelgaz said on Tuesday.

After the evaluation of the technical offers, the companies behind the successful bids will be invited to attend the opening of the financial offers, which are currently held by a judicial officer, Zuhair Delmi, a representative of Sonelgaz said as cited by state-owned news agency Algeria Press Service.

The official expects this process to take place in about a month or two, during which deadlines, project value, and proposed kilowatt-hour prices by each developer will be evaluated.

The auction was launched in March and attracted interest from 140 candidates who obtained the tender documents. The competition is aimed at selecting solar projects with individual capacities ranging from 80 MW to 220 MW. The 15 plants will be located in 12 provinces from Algeria's south to the Hautes Plaines in the Atlas Mountains in the north.

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