Armenia to tender five more large-scale solar projects

The European Bank for Development and Reconstruction (EBDR) is seeking consultants to set up tenders for five large-scale PV projects in Armenia.

The selected consultants will support the Armenian authorities on the sizing and composition of five sites that have been shortlisted for the projects, with each covered by a single competitive bidding process.

The winners will also be expected to update the existing feasibility studies for each of the shortlisted sites. The feasibility studies are for projects with capacities ranging from 19.4 MW to 5 MW, according to the Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund, a state entity that works to create a favorable environment for the development of renewable energy.

Five plants, several provinces

The largest project – the 19.4 MW Masrik 2 PV plant – will be built for $22 million in the municipality of Masrik. Spain’s Fotowatio is already building the country’s first and only solar plant, the 55 MW Masrik 1 project, in the same town. The Fotowatio project was awarded in a tender that was finalized last year.

Another 15.2 MW plant – the Gagarin PV plant Hrazdankotayk – will be built in the municipality of Hrazdan, in Kotayk province, for approximately $18 million. A third 12.5 MW project, Talin 2 PV Plant Archadzortalin, is expected to cost $14 million and will be built near Talin, in Aragatsotn province.

One of the other selected sites near Talin will likely host the 12.5 MW Dashatem 1 PV plant, at an estimated cost of $18 million. The last project of the series is a 5 MW installation – the $7 million Merdzavan PV plant. The Armenian authorities intend to build the project in Armavir province.

The five projects and the aforementioned Masrik 1 solar park are part of a six-year, 110 MW plan for large-scale solar that the Armenian government announced  in May 2017. The total budget for the program is around $58 million.