Qatari solar JV to start supplying power by 2020 - report

A solar joint venture (JV) that will soon be formally set up in Qatar will start generating electricity by the end of April, 2020.

The timeframe was provided by Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Qatar's Minister for Energy and Industry, as quoted by Gulf Times, at the Qatar Electricity and Water Company's (QEWC) annual general meeting on Sunday.

At the end of 2015, QEWC and Qatar Petroleum signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a 60/40 JV for the construction of solar power plants in Qatar.

The minister has now said that the solar company, Siraj Power, will initially have a capacity of 200 MW, with a plan for expansion of up to 500 MW. The entity will be formally established by the end of the month. Later in 2017 an initial agreement is expected to be signed with Qatar General Electricity and Water Corp (Kahramaa) and project advisers will also be selected.

Pending consent from the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment, the solar JV will have capital of USD 500 million (EUR 473m), Gulf Times said.

The president of Kahramaa told reporters earlier this year that Qatar is to launch in 2017 a 500-MW solar power tender.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.946)

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