Napocor pre-qualifies 6 firms for P4-B project

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) has pre-qualified at least six foreign transmission companies for the Stage 2 of the P4.408 billion Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project (LBIP).

The state-owned power firm is scheduled to bid out the project to these pre-qualified bidders next month.

Among the pre-qualified bidders include: ABB transmission and Distribution Inc. (European); Jyoti Structures Ltd. (Indian) in joint venture with Black & Veatch International (American); Kanematsu (Japanese) with Hyundai Engineering Inc. (Korea); Larse and Toubro (Indian); KEC International (Indian) with ALSTOM (European); and Xian Electric Machinery & Partners (Chinese).

The Napocor has forwarded the list of pre-qualified bidders to Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the funding agency for the said project.

Under the loan agreement, JBIC has to concur with Napocor with regard to the companies that would be allowed to bid for the project. "We forwarded the list to JBIC last July 17 for their concurrence," a Napocor official said.

The Stage 2 of the project is projected to be completed by April 2003. This will involve the upgrading of the interconnection facilities to 138 kilovolts (kV) with the erection of 138 kV, 130 kilometers, transmission line on steel towers from Ormoc substation to Maasin substation and the installation of power transformers in Ubay and Maasin substations in the said provinces.

The Electric Power Development Company Ltd. (EPDC) of Japan has been selected as consultant for the said project.

JBIC provided the funding requirement for the project under its 21th Yen Loan Package to the government. – Donnabelle Gatdula