Floating solar project schedule in Seychelles hit by COVID-19 - report

The construction of a 5-MW floating solar array in Seychelles will be postponed due to the travel restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seychelles News Agency (SNA) reports.

Tony Imaduwa, CEO of the Seychelles Energy Commission, told SNA that the reason is the delayed issuance of the notice of intended award to the selected bidder. The tender for the project, launched in 2018, was won by a local unit of Quadran International, now Qair, and Seychelles solar company VetiverTech.

Qair said in March it aimed to start installation in July. According to Imaduwa, the start of construction, initially planned for 2020, will be delayed by several months to ensure that the selected bidder has enough time to meet all conditions. For some, related to the technical design of the power plant, physical presence was required but was not possible due to the travel restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus.

The Commission’s CEO suggested that the independent power producer (IPP) may face some cost implications because of the delay.

Located on the lagoon of Providence on Mahe island, the project will create what will be the world's biggest seawater floating solar system. An off-take deal for the 5.8 GWh of electricity per year is due to be signed in the next few months.

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