Iberdrola claims irregularities in Portugal 1500 MW tender

Major Spanish utility Iberdrola is to lodge an official complaint with the Portuguese government alleging irregularities in the administration of its tender for 1500 MW of wind power (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç, April 2006). Iberdrola claims that of the four bids submitted, only that by its renewables division, Novas Energías Ibérica, fully meets the specifications of the tender document. Moreover, the utility accuses the selection panel of favouring a bid led by Portuguese firm Galp Energía, in which the Portuguese government has a direct stake of 34.8%. The tender call -- split into two lots, one for 1000 MW and the other for 500 MW -- is Portugal's largest to date. The first lot is to be awarded by July, while the second is due by the end of the year. Tender requirements include the establishment of local wind equipment manufacturing clusters, agreement to export 50% of their Portuguese production, and the formation of tender consortia incorporating all necessary skills for wind plant construction. As well as the consortia led by Iberdrola and Galp, two others met the March 1 deadline for submissions, one led by Portuguese utility EDP and the other by Eufer, a joint venture between Italian utility ENEL and Spain's Union Fenosa Renovables. None of competing consortia have commented on Iberdrola's notice of appeal, which is to be submitted to Portugal's economy ministry. Under the tender rules, it has one month to respond.