TWO OVERSEAS COMPANIES QUALIFY TO DEVELOP TINA HYDRO PROJECT

The Democratic Coalition for Change  (DCC) Government has announced the qualification of two global power groups, who will be submitting proposals to the Ministry of Mines and Energy in 2015 as part of the international tender process to identify a developer for the Tina Hydro Project.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said the two parties were selected from a field of more than 10 international power providers who had expressed interest to design, finance, build, own and operate the 20 Mega Watts, Tina River Hydro Project on Guadalcanal.

The two pre-qualified parties are Korean Water of South Korea and Origin Energy of Australia.

The statement explains the two parties underwent a very rigorous, competitive and transparent pre-qualified selection process that was organised by the International Finance Corporation, to screen potential developers for Tina Hydro.

It is scheduled to commence construction in 2015 with a “power-on” date scheduled for 2018.

Meanwhile, Deputy Project Manager Mr Fred Conning says, pre-feasibility study of the project started in 2010 and it is on track to supplying hydroelectricity by 2018.

Mr Conning says, so far the project has achieved a number of important milestones including the completion of a feasibility study in 2013 and the signing of a process agreement with core tribe landowners in which they gave their consent to acquisition of the core land in August 2014.

He says the project is driven by strong support from the Government at ministerial and executive level as well as overall broad community support.

Mr Conning explains, as it is the first project of its kind in the country, the developer will need to be assured that its investment is safe.

The international tender will close on April 2015 and a developer will be selected in July.

Among the project’s features, include a Roller Compacted Concrete Dam of approximately 50m height, a 3.3km headrace tunnel of approximately 3m diameter and a Powerhouse with 4 x 5 Mega Watt Francis turbines.

Ancillary works will include a transmission line of approximately 22 kilometres length connecting the Tina hydropower station to the Lunga Diesel Power station in Honiara.