The bids to build the access roads and other infrastructure to facilitate the development of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project have been evaluated and an announcement on the award is expected to be made shortly.

The project is supposed to see a 140-megawatt hydroelectric plant being built on the Kuribrong River, a tributary of the Potaro River in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni). The project has been on the cards for several years with Synergy Holdings Inc. being the developer for the project and Sithe Global Power, serving as the leading financial group. This particular project has become even more pivotal with the government’s recent pursuit of a Low Carbon Development Strategy.

Late last year, the government, through NICIL, placed advertisements in the media inviting proposals for projects, which would enable construction.

These were for “the upgrading of approximately 85 km of existing roadway,” “the design and construction of approximately 110 km of virgin roadway,” and “the design and construction of two new pontoon crossings at the Essequibo and Kuribrong rivers.” A fourth part of the project is for the clearing of a pathway alongside the roadways referred to in the first and second parts of the project to allow for the installation of approximately 65 km of transmission lines.  A total of $4.1 billion has been allocated in the 2010 budget towards this initiative.

President of Synergy Holdings Makeshwar Fip Motilall told this newspaper that the bids had been evaluated and that he was hopeful that an announcement would be made next week regarding the successful contractor for building the access roads.  He said once this announcement was made, work on the roads could begin and completed within eight months.  Should everything go according to schedule, Motilall said that the first phase of the project could be completed by year-end, after which the hydro-contractor can start work on the plant itself.