BCDA welcomes bids from local, foreign players for solar plant in New Clark City

State-led Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Thursday said it has opened the bid for the large-scale solar photovoltaic power plant that will cater to the 37-hectare property in New Clark City.

The BCDA said it will welcome bids from both local and foreign investors, following the easing of ownership restrictions on renewable energy projects across the country.

The Department of Energy last November amended a section of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, allowing foreign investors or companies to engage in the exploration, development, and utilization of Philippine renewable energy sources.

“This will open our bidding process to a diverse pool of competitive players from both the local and international RE industry, helping us accelerate the development of renewable energy sources in New Clark City,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Aileen Zosa said in an emailed statement.

Bidders for the project must be corporations, joint ventures, or consortiums registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or its counterpart in their country of incorporation.

They must also prove their technical capability with five years of track record in solar power generation, design, and construction and experience in completing similar projects with at least a 100-megawatt capacity.

The final bidding and awarding of the contract is targeted to be completed in May, with the deadline of submission for bids set at 12:00 p.m. on April 21. The terms of reference (TOR) are available at P75,000.

“Rest assured that the BCDA will comply with all relevant procurement laws, rules, and regulations to ensure a fair and transparent bidding process,” Zosa said.

The BCDA last month said it plans to bid out P11-billion worth of development projects for New Clark City this year, including the P1-billion solar farm with a capacity of up to 40 megawatts.

The planned solar farm will be 2.5 kilometers away from the New Clark City Substation, and is targeted to be accessible through major thoroughfares.

Another is the P10-billion Solid Waste Management and Waste-to-Energy Project which covers the management of existing waste management assets within the sanitary landfill and the waste collection service in New Clark City.—AOL, GMA Integrated News