Companies interested in providing a gas import solution for the Pacific Island nation of New Caledonia have been asked to bid again after a new tender was issued.
Nouvelle-Caledonie Energie (NCE) — which handles the state energy requirements and those of Societe Le Nickel (SLN) — has invited offers from parties interested in designing, financing, building, maintaining and operating a power-generation facility.
Those bidding will have to act as an independent power producer, fund the project and arrange the fuel supply to support an annual electricity production of 1,350 GWh per year.
NCE has specified that this be natural gas, but it did not state in what form it will be shipped in.
It has also indicated the use of a floating power plant or a gravity-based structure.
Bidders must submit initial offers by 29 January 2021, and a shortlist will be drawn up by mid-March.
Final submissions
Final submissions are scheduled to be made in August, after which a final preferred candidate will be selected in September.
This is the second call for gas import solutions for the remote French territory.
A first effort is understood to have attracted at least 26 bids from companies including energy majors, state utilities, traders and shipowner joint ventures. Interest is understood to have been high as the business was backed by French government funding.
Offers were requested by June, with a preferred provider due to be selected this month.
But NCE informed bidders that it would be reissuing the enquiry after its anticipated needs for power increased.
Those following the new tender said they were surprised that companies were effectively having to start from zero again with their offers.
They also questioned the lack of reference and detail on French financial backing in the new documents.
New Caledonia, which is a popular marine destination for divers, needs to ship in gas to clean up its power generation.
NCE is responsible for completing the replacement of French multinational mining and metallurgy company Eramet’s SLN Doniambo thermal power plant in New Caledonia, near the capital city of Noumea on the island of Grande Terre.
