The Xlinks UK-Morocco power project, which will see Moroccan renewable energy transmitted to the UK, has stepped up a gear as the developer has begun market engagement to find a project management contractor (PMC).
The multi-technology renewable energy project of circa 11 GW will see solar, wind, storage and in-land power transmission in the Guelmim Oued-Noun region of Morocco. The electricity produced will be transported exclusively to Great Britain through dedicated 4,000 km HVDC onshore and offshore cables delivering 3.6GW.
Developer Xlinks First Limited wants a PMC to support development through to the final investment decision and then onwards into the construction and operations phases, working with Xlinks and Xlinks’ client team, including the owner’s engineer (OE).
The PMC’s primary role will be project and commercial management of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and other contracts that Xlinks is procuring for the construction phase of the Project. The OE’s prime role will be technical and quality assurance of the works under the EPC contracts.
Xlinks said it does not consider itself a utility for the purposes of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 but it has published a contract notice on the UK e-notification service in order to attract competition.