Bhutanese company to bid for 10,000 MW and other project
8 February, 2010 - Druk Green Power corporation’s (DGPC) planned hydropower construction company, once formed, will bid for a slice of the Nu 525 bn construction pie of the 10,000 MW projects.
The DGPC plan is to set up the construction company by 2012 with Nu 500 mn investments.
“As a first preference, we’d want private partners to take part and they could inject in equity in the form of cash or construction equipment. If there are no investors, we’ll manage it ourselves,” said DGPC managing director Dasho Chhewang Rinzin.
The hydro construction company would initially be set up as subsidiary of DGPC, which would be holding a majority 51 percent of shares, in case of private participation, and also provide technical expertise like engineers, management, etc. to set up the company.
“To prepare for the company, 25 DGPC engineers are getting hand on experience in the construction of the Dagachu project,” said Dasho Chhewang Rinzin. Some consultants are helping the engineers with the design, engineering, and approval process of plans of the Dagachu project. Hindustan construction company is helping engineers get experience in the construction process of the dam, tunnel and powerhouse. DGPC also has an understanding with an Austrian company installing the electro magnetic equipment in the powerhouse that it would use 75 percent Bhutanese workers to give them experience.
“The construction company would be made up of these engineers and an independent management, which would bid for some mega projects and also carry out DGPC’s own hydro projects like the 208 MW Nikachu project starting by 2012 or the 100 MW Gamri project,” said the MD. He said that the company would be proficient in all aspects of hydropower design and construction.
The company with its initial Nu 500 mn capital will look to purchase jumbo drillers that drill through mountains, short creting that spray cement to harden the tunnels walls, cranes, batching plants and others like excavators, drilling machines and trucks.
After a few years of functioning, DGPC plans to divest its shares to an efficient private sector partner to manage the company.
“We would divest because DGPC’s mandate is not construction but to develop the human resources needed for it and the private sector would be better at running a construction company,” he said.
“Even 36 years after hydropower construction began, Bhutan still does not have a hydropower construction company. We feel this company could lead the way in good and reliable hydropower construction, where private sector can take part,” said the MD.
Bhutan has been getting many inquiries in the last two years from foreign agencies asking for help in their projects on the presumption that Bhutan has its own hydropower design and construction expertise. He emphasised that all hydropower construction will be done by the company that would not allow sub contracting to its members or other construction companies.
“Ideally we’d prefer private companies in hydropower construction, but realistically speaking they don’t have the capacity,” said Dasho Chhewang Rinzin.
He said that after 10,000 MW, the construction company would still have another 13,000 MW project to look forward too.
Source: kuenselonline.com |
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