The 50MW Tsetsii wind farm, located in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, has successfully reached financial close. Mott MacDonald is lenders’ technical advisor on behalf of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Consisting of 25 wind turbine generators, Tsetsii is the second wind farm, renewable energy scheme and independent power project to reach financial close in Mongolia. Mott MacDonald was also lenders’ technical advisor on the first wind farm in the country, the 50MW Salkhit scheme.
Mott MacDonald performed a holistic technical, environmental and social due diligence of the project during the financing stage in order to identify any completion or operational risks. This included reviews of the project participants’ technical capabilities, the project’s design, schedule, contract agreements and financial model, as well as environmental, social and permitting matters. The consultancy will now continue its involvement in the scheme by monitoring construction and operations in an ongoing role.
Caedmon Shayer, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “The majority of power demand in Mongolia comes from the capital city Ulaanbaatar, which is primarily supplied by old coal power stations. Local residents also burn coal in open fires. As a result Ulaanbaatar is one of the most polluted cities in the world over its harsh winter. It is hoped that the renewable energy provided by Tsetsii will help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels in both the capital and Gobi Desert.”
“Mott MacDonald has a very strong track record in Mongolia, delivering a number of projects across the education, health, environment and power sectors since 2005. The country has a number of specific challenges which are not often faced elsewhere in the world, so appreciating and anticipating how to manage and resolve these was crucial to delivering our role efficiently,” Caedmon added.
It is expected that the Tsetsii wind farm will enter commercial operation by the end of 2017.