Four groups qualify for Molloco hydro

Peru's private investment promotion agency ProInversión has qualified four consortiums for the Molloco hydro project in Arequipa region. The groups are KHNP (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power-Hydro Electric-Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants), CEE ( Corsan Corviam- Engevix- Enex), Molloco River (Power Machines Equipamentos de Geração de Energia do Brasil-Construtora Quebec-Quebec Inversiones del Perú) and Molloco ( Construtora Queiroz Galvão- Construtora Andrade Gutierrez). Offers are due and awarding are scheduled for next month. The project would use hydro resources from the Molloco river basin and part of water from the Palca river, and supply state generator Egasa. The competition factor will be the highest participation percentage of energy production from Molloco the investor offers Egasa. The winner will have 18 months to complete definitive studies and inform the energy and mines ministry of the intention to proceed to the construction phase. The minimum installed capacity of the plant has been set at 280MW and operations must begin within 60 months. Components include regulation dams Machucocha, Molloco and Japo; water supply tunnels to plants Llatica (142 MW) and Soro (159MW), both of which would boast underground machines houses; and a 220kV transmission link from Soro to the Cerro Verde substation.