Beirut River solar power project kicks off

Asaco and Phoenix awarded first phase

The tender to build the first phase of a solar farm along the Beirut River was awarded to Asaco and Phoenix, a joint venture between Asaco General Trade and Contracting and Phoenix, member of Indevco Group. The solar farm, dubbed the ‘Beirut River Solar Snake’, is governed by the Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) and the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC).

The project will see the installation of solar panels across 20,000 square meters over the river's bed, generating 1 MW, by the end of 2014. Asaco & Phoenix won the contract for the first phase, valued at $3.1 million. Panels will be linked to the national power grid run by Electricité du Liban (EDL).

The Beirut River Solar Snake is made up of ten phases, each expected to produce one megawatt of power, with a maximum budget of $4 million, fully funded by the ministry. The project promises to feed 10,000 households, free of charge for EDL.

The project tender received bids from 25 international and local companies; 11 prequalified for the second phase and only five made it to the final stage. Around 6.5 kilometers of the Beirut River will be covered by solar panels by the completion of all phases.