Fortum-EPCG consortium emerges as top bidder to build 250 MW solar power plant at Briska Gora

A consortium of Finland’s state energy company Fortum and Montenegro’s state power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) has been ranked the number-one bidder to lease state land at the location of Briska Gora in the Ulcinj municipality for the construction of a solar power plant, according to a statement from the Montenegrin Ministry of Economy.

The commission handling tendering for the Briska Gora solar project selected the Fortum-EPCG consortium as the top bidder. The IREDL consortium is second-ranked, while the Montesolar consortium’s bid was not cleared.

The decision on the bid ranking has been submitted to all bidders who have the right to file a complaint and is to be approved by the Montenegrin government.

The Fortum-EPCG consortium submitted the best offer according to the tendering criteria, including in terms of the proposed number of jobs to be created, the lease fee, technical capability, constructed solar power plants with an installed capacity of more than 100 MW, the financial capability, and participation of domestic companies, the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry’s press release does not specify the offered installed capacity of the solar power plant, but Fortum said on its website that it offered to build a 250 MW solar power plant.

“A consortium between Fortum, Montenegrin energy company EPCG and Sterling & Wilson International Solar FZCO has won the public call to build a solar power plant in the Ulcinj solar site in Montenegro. The consortium has proposed to build 250 MW of solar power in Ulcinj. The next step in the process is to negotiate the final contract with the State of Montenegro, expected to be concluded during this year,” Fortum said.

Fortum-EPCG offers lease fee of EUR 0.33 per square meter annually

The Fortum-EPCG consortium offered to pay a lease fee of EUR 0.33 per square meter annually and create 226 jobs over the entire lease period. The planned investment is EUR 178 million, and the participation of domestic companies is worth EUR 20 million.

As a reference list in the implementation of these projects, the Fortum-EPCG consortium has submitted data on the construction of solar power plants with a total installed capacity of 2,821.31 MW, as well as several solar power plants with an installed capacity of more than 100 MW. The consortium provided data on average gross income for 2014, 2015, and 2016 of EUR 4.39 billion.

The second-ranked bidder, the IREDL consortium, offered EUR 0.05 per square meter and 25 new jobs. The consortium has provided data on the construction of solar power plants with a total installed capacity of 1,039.5 MW, as well as the construction of one solar power plant with an installed capacity of more than 100 MW.

In 2014, 2015, and 2016 IREDL had an average gross income of EUR 608.9 million. The consortium offered an investment of EUR 166 million, with the participation of domestic companies planned for EUR 21 million.

The government of Montenegro invited bids to lease land for the construction of the solar power plant in May. A total of 11 companies bought tendering documentation, while only 3 submitted bids.