Malawi-based Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) ProjectCo, incorporated to develop, finance, build, own and operate solar energy projects, has invited bids from interested Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contractors for the development of a 40 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Malawi’s Salima district.

ProjectCo is a limited liability corporation in Malawi which is owned, developed and managed by a consortium consisting of InfraCo Africa Limited, JCM Power and Matswani Capital (PTY) Limited.

The bid-submission deadline for the interested EPC contractors is March 2, 2018. The grid-connected solar PV project will be developed on an 80-hectare site near the Salima district’s substation

The project will be developed on a turnkey basis and the scope of work includes the design, supply, procurement, construction, installation, testing and commissioning of the grid-connected solar PV project.

The successful bidder will be responsible for the project’s transmission infrastructure up to the delivery point. The successful bidder will also look after the operation and maintenance of the project.

Electric Supply Company of Malawi Limited (ESCOM) will be the power off-taker of the 40 MW project. Last year, ESCOM had revealed its plans to add 70 MW of solar power to the national power grid supplied by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in an attempt to reduce the frequency and duration of load-shedding.

Mercom previously reported that in Africa, the demand of renewable energy is increasing with time as there are over 600 million people without electricity connection. This has opened a great investment avenue for banks and other financial institutions to invest in the region.