Interestingly, the companies that were selected on March 29, 2007, offered the highest price tags during the financial aspect of the tender.
The tender was floated in October 2006, attracting the participation of 13 international consultancy firms including the two Norwegian companies, which bid jointly, the German Fichtner and the Italian ELC, also joint bidders; both joint ventures passed the technical evaluation and were readying for the financial evaluation.
The Ethiopian government has an ambitious plan to generate 6,000MW electric power which flows from Bale, in the Oromia Regional state, to neighbouring Somalia. The feasibility study is for the first phase of this project, identified as GD-6, which could generate 460MW. The Ministry chose the Norwegian joint venture, which offered 1.6 million dollars.
“That the Ministry selected these companies does not mean that it will pay the money they have requested,” said Michael Abebe, head of the Dam and Hydropower Projects Department at the Ministry.
He said negotiations were underway with the joint venture.