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Feasibility and environmental and social studies tendered for five projects in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), Ethiopia’s state-owned power utility, invites expressions of interest by 8 March from experienced consultants to prepare feasibility studies and update environmental social impact assessments (ESIA) and resettlement action plans (RAP) for five hydropower projects totalling 1349 MW.

The two contracts are to be financed by the African Development Bank from the proceeds of a loan provided to the Government towards the cost of the Mekele-Dallol and Semera-Afdera Power Supply for Industrial Development and Access Scale-up project, which aims to improve the socio-economic development of the population of the regional states of Tigray and Afar through increased access to an affordable, sustainable and stable electricity supply.

Expressions of interest are sought for lot 1, which requires the preparation of a feasibility study for the 301 MW Didessa project and amendments to existing feasibility, ESIA and RAP studies for the 280 MW Chemoga Yada stage 1 and stage 2 hydropower projects and for lot 2 for the preparation of a feasibility study for the 100 MW Genale Dawa 5 and amendments to existing feasibility, ESIA and RAP studies for the 246 MW Genale Dawa 6 and 422 MW Halele Werabessa stage 1 and stage 2 projects.

The consultancy services will entail: reviewing and updating existing available reconnaissance, ESIA and RAP studies of the selected hydropower plants and prepare plans and methods to update the studies; carrying out required site investigations necessary to prepare the feasibility studies; preparation of optimized project layouts and designs of the components as per the findings from the site investigations; preparation of schedule and cost estimates; and, determination of project feasibility by preparing economical and financial evaluations. Consulting firms may participate in one or both lots according to their experience and capacity to finalize the required studies within an estimated 14 months.

The Didessa and Genale Dawa 5 and 6 projects are to be developed in the regional state of Oromia in western Ethiopia. Chemoga Yeda is planned to be built on the river Chemoga Yeda, a tributary of the Blue Nile, near Debre Markos in the Amhara Administrative Region of northwest Ethiopia. EEP invited bids in May 2018 from private developers to finance, build, own and operate the Didessa plant. The project, which will be located on the river Didessa, a tributary of the Abay, is to be developed on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis, with the entire capacity and the plant’s estimated gross annual output of 5580 GWh to be sold to EEP, under a long-term PPA.

Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff and so on). Consultants may constitute joint ventures to enhance their chances of qualification. Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s “Rules and Procedures for the use of Consultants”, which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.afdb.org.

For further information, contact: Kefyalew Mergiya, Director, EEP Procurement, Ethiopian Electric Power, Lagahar, Meba Building, Ground Floor, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Tel: +251 115 58 05 97.