Saudi Arabia’s Neom, through its subsidiary Enowa, has issued the request for qualifications for a contract to develop and operate the first phase of the development’s planned pumped hydropower storage (PHS) network.  Enowa expects to receive the statements of qualifications from interested developers and contractors by the end of May. Enowa received expressions of interest in bidding for the project from developers and contractors in January. The planned first phase of Neom’s PHS project, known as Nestor, will have an installed capacity of 2,200MW and a storage capacity of 23.1 gigawatt-hours, or about 11 hours. It will be developed using a build-own-operate-transfer model that is expected to cover 40 years, excluding the construction period. The expected capital expenditure for the project is $2.7bn.  Neom had approached developers and investors to discuss the development of a PHS project that will be developed using an independent power producer (IPP) model. The overall infrastructure will entail the development of four PHS stations in Neom. The planned schemes will form the backbone of an energy storage infrastructure at the $500bn development. The other three planned PHS projects are to be located in Al Qimmah, Nima and Beach Mountain, and will have capacities of about 3,000MW, 1,000MW and 3,000MW, respectively. The UK-based HSBC and the US-based White & Case are advising the client on the scheme. The PHS IPP project will complement Neom’s planned multi-gigawatt renewable energy infrastructure, in line with its vision of being 100% powered by renewable energy by 2030. PHS is a form of clean energy storage that is ideal for electricity grids that are reliant on solar and wind power. A PHS facility typically comprises two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power when water passes through a turbine and moves down or is discharged from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir. For registration as supplier: https://www.neom.com/en-us/our-business/suppliers (ICE RIYADH)

Fonte notizia: Meed