Eleven companies have submitted bids for Wasteserv’s Waste-to-Energy plant that will be treating non-recyclable waste.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company said the submission period for the prequalification questionnaire for the plant closed at 9.30am.
CEO Richard Bilocca welcomed the strong interest from the sector in the project and said the successful implementation of the procurement process will yield “immediate and concrete improvements” in Malta’s infrastructural setup and long-term environmental performance.
Without naming the companies expressing interest, he said the fact that WasteServ managed to attract "numerous world-leading names" continues to show "the solidity of its waste management infrastructural plan”.
This was the second prequalification questionnaire issued as none of the three shortlisted consortia that had participated in the first competitive dialogue procedure had submitted a final bid.
The current 11 bidders will now be analysed and scored according to the pre-established criteria identified within the prequalification questionnaire document. The five bidders with the highest points will then move on to the next stage - an invitation to "participate in dialogue".
The Waste-to-Energy facility will treat non-recyclable waste which will be diverted away from landfill and converted into green energy.
“This will be a game-changer in Malta’s waste management potential and will complement the rest of the green waste management plants that will form part of the Ecohive complex. This investment will allow the country to reach its full circular economy potential,” Wasteserv said.
An outline proposal for the project, which has faced objections from neighbouring councils and environmental NGOs, was greenlighted by the planning authority in January. The environment watchdog gave its approval last year.
In May of 2020, Wasteserv had said it expected the Magħtab facility to cost up to €190 million to build and a further €200 million to run over two decades, while warning potential bidders they had six weeks to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire related to their proposal.