Kikot-Mbébé Hydro Power Company (KHPC), a project development company jointly owned by France’s EDF and the Government of Cameroon, invites expressions of interest by 6 September from qualified contractors for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the 500 MW Kikot-Mbébé hydroelectric dam on the river Sanaga.
Interested contractors will have the opportunity to bid for one or more of the following three contracts, which will be tendered in an open competitive procurement process that will include a prequalification phase: (i) civil works including the supply of hydro-mechanical equipment with associated metal structures; (ii) electro-mechanical component, including works and equipment for the hydroelectric plant as well as associated civil engineering works; and, (iii) transmission connection component, including the evacuation line, switchyard and substation connections.
The project is to be developed on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis at a site in Mbam-et-Kim département, about 60km north-west of Yaoundé, on the border between Cameroon’s Central and Coastal regions. It will comprise a dam approximately 1200 meters long and a powerhouse to be equipped with six Kaplan turbines with a rated power of 83.3 MW each, that will harness a head of around 35 m.
The scheme will be the second large hydropower dam on the river Sanaga, following the forthcoming commissioning of the 420 MW Nachtigal hydropower dam, which is also being co-developed by EDF. Construction is scheduled to start in 2025 for commissioning in 2030.
The project is being developed within the framework of Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2020-2030, aimed at increasing electricity supply at least cost through the development of new hydropower on a PPP basis.
Participation in the prequalification stage will be open to all companies or group of companies, provided that they are not subject to sanctions or suspensions vis-à-vis the State of Cameroon, the World Bank or the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at the time of the submission deadline. The prequalification process is expected to be launched at the beginning of the last quarter of 2024.
Interested bidders should demonstrate experience and expertise in the construction of large reinforced concrete and embankment dams as well as large power plants, in particular hydropower stations; the design, supply and installation of 400 kV transmission equipment, demonstrated capacity to respect the highest environmental and social standards and the capacity to work with export credit financing.
Expressions of interest may be submitted for subsequent prequalification for one or more of the contracts. Interested parties must express their interest to KHPC at the contact details below, specifying in a signed official letter: (i) the contract(s) of interest and the role envisaged (stand-alone bidder or part of a consortium, subcontractor, etc.);
(ii) contact details (company name, first and last name, position, telephone number, email address); (iii) a brief description of the company’s main activities; and, (iv) a brief description of financing via export credit support and the associated terms and conditions.
Expressions of interest must be sent by email before 5:00 p.m. (local time) on 6 September to: appeloffres.kikot@khpc.cm and projet-kikot@edf.fr, and are required to include in the subject line of the email: “Manifestation d’intérêt suite à l’avis de publicité pour le projet de Centrale hydroélectrique de KIKOT-MBEBE” (Expression of interest following the advertising notice for the KIKOT-MBEBE project).
