Chile's Ministry of Public Works (MOP) has set the bidding deadline for the Punilla reservoir concession project in the Bío-Bío Region.

The shortlisted companies/consortia will have to submit their proposals on or before 30 June this year. The economic proposals are scheduled to be opened on 28 July 2015. So far, a total of five teams have been shortlisted for the project:

• Astaldi,
• Consortium BBB (Belfi, Besalco and Brotec)
• Ingenieros Civiles Asociados
• Salini and Impregilo
• Consortium Cintra-Ferrovial
• Consortium Infraestructura Punilla, formed by ACS and Dragados

The project involves the development of a 137 meters high dam and a 94 MW hydro power plant. The project is expected to double the amount of irrigated lands to over 60,000 ha. It includes a reservoir with capacity of 625 million m³, which will be located 30 km from San Fabián de Alico. An 85% of the new water reservoir will be used to address irrigation needs while the remaining 15% will be used to produce energy.

The contract is a 20-year concession with income from generation of hydroelectricity. The total project investment is estimated at US$387 million.

The reservoir would address the irrigation needs of farmers in the area of the River à‘uble, including the à‘uble province and part of the San Carlos, Chillán, à‘iquén, San Nicolás, Coihueco and San Fabián de Alico municipal districts in the Bío-Bío Region.

During this month we have reported about several water PPP projects globally:

• 100,000 m³ seawater desalination - Senegal
• Okotoks Regional Water system - Canada
• Sohar independent water project (IWP) - Oman
• Barka independent water project (IWP) - Oman
• Kigali Bulk Water - Rwanda
• Agadir desalination plant - Morocco
• Indianapolis airport stormwater and wastewater - USA
• Accra seawater desalination plant - Ghana