KUWAIT CITY, Feb 22: The Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) has postponed its decision on the request of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy to award a tender for the supply and installation of 400 kV overhead transmission lines linking the Shaqaya solar power station to Subiya power station, pending receipt of an official letter from the ministry confirming the approval of its Finance counterpart. The ministry had earlier contacted CAPT, requesting authorization to award the tender to the lowest bidder that fulfilled all technical requirements at a value of KD48.667 million in line with its strategy to enhance the reliability of the national electrical grid.

The objective is to construct high-voltage overhead transmission lines to connect the Shaqaya station—currently generating around 70 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy sources—to the Subiya power station, thereby, enabling the integration of this production capacity into the grid and strengthening overall supply stability. In another development, the Ministry of Public Works obtained conditional approval from the State Audit Bureau (SAB) to conclude a consultancy contract for the study, design and supervision of the Ministry of Information building at a total cost of KD2.690 million. Under the terms of the approval, the ministry will enter into an agreement with the winning consultancy firm to commence implementation in line with the beneficiary entity’s technical, engineering and administrative requirements. A separate tender for the construction of the building will be floated upon completion of the consultancy contract. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy has obtained conditional approval from the State Audit Bureau (SAB) to proceed with the contract for the maintenance and repair of main electrical substations.

The contract, originally valued at KD135.409 million, was approved at a final amount of KD129.492 million after a comprehensive review that resulted in savings of KD5.916 million. The assessment of the tender documents by SAB led to the identification of several discrepancies, including price schedules that covered maintenance work for substations and equipment still under warranty. The Bureau noticed that the price list included equipment whose spare parts could not be supplied by the contracting company. The Bureau’s queries on Jan 14 prompted a response from the ministry on Jan 21, followed by a letter on Feb 9. These correspondences confirmed amendments to the quantities and pricing of items one, three, five and six in the tender, leading to the reduced contract value.

The ministry submitted the tender to the Bureau at the end of December for the requisite review and approval to facilitate the immediate commencement of work. This tender is included in the strategic plan of the ministry to modernize and upgrade its facilities and electrical grid infrastructure while enhancing operational efficiency. The objective is to extend the service life of these assets and ensure full preparedness to meet the expected surge in electricity demand during the summer months.

This rising demand is fueled by the expansion of new residential cities, industrial areas, and various housing developments in the country. The main substations scheduled for maintenance— including the 132/300/400 kV installations— serve as a cornerstone of the national electrical grid. The 300 and 400 kV transmission network transfers vast quantities of electricity from power generation plants to major load centers and plays a vital role in maintaining the synchronous interconnection of power generation stations.

By Mohammad Ghanem Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff