New deadline for Olmos hydro/irrigation project

ProInversion, Peru's investment promotion agency, has set December 16 as the date for reviewing technical and economic presentations for the Olmos irrigation and hydroelectric concession, an official at the agency told BNamericas. To date, nine groups have expressed an interest in bidding for the 20-year Olmos concession in the country's northern Lambayeque department, the official added. Prequalification bids will be accepted by the selection committee up to 15 days before then, for a December 1 deadline. ProInversion previously delayed indefinitely a July 31 deadline to submit qualification documents. Earlier this year, the Peruvian government agreed to finance US$77mn of the project's first phase, according to ProInversion. The Olmos project will provide the infrastructure to pull water from the Peruvian section of the Amazon River basin to irrigate land along the Pacific coast (on the other side of the Andes watershed), and generate power. Work will include deepening the Limon dam to 45m and the Trasandino tunnel to 15km.