Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has issued a request for qualifications for a 500MW solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power producer project in Egypt’s West of Nile area.

The bid submission deadline is 11 May.

The project is being supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and will be developed under a build-own-operate model.

Developers will be responsible for designing, financing, constructing, owning and operating the plant, with EETC acting as the offtaker for generated electricity.

US/India-based Synergy Consulting is acting as lead, financial and commercial advisor for this transaction.

The project forms part of Egypt’s strategy to strengthen long-term electricity supply and increase renewable generation capacity.

Egypt is targeting 42% renewable energy in its power mix by 2030. The country aims to raise this share to 65% by 2040.

EETC previously had plans to build a 200MW solar plant in a west Nile area but cancelled the tender for the project in 2020.

Egypt's power sector had its strongest year in over a decade last year, accounting for $4.2bn of total contract awards.

Despite dipping from the previous year, solar accounted for about $1bn of total awards.

In November, a consortium of local firms Hassan Allam Utilities and Infinity Power won contracts to develop two solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 1,200MW, supported by 720 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage.

The UAE’s Amea Power and Japan’s Kyuden International Corporation also recently reached financial close on a $700m project comprising a 1,000MW solar plant and 600MWh battery system in Aswan.

The scheme is backed by a $570m debt package led by the International Finance Corporation and is expected to become Africa’s largest single-asset solar and storage facility when it enters operation later this year.