THE Natural Gas Public Company (DEFA) said yesterday it has received a total of 17 expressions of interest for the supply of natural gas for a five-year period.
The call for interest was issued on September 27. In a short press release yesterday, DEFA said only that it has received 17 bids, and that the details of the bids are bound by a confidentiality agreement between itself and the interested parties.
“No announcements will be made on the matter. Whenever there is something to be announced, we shall issue a press release,” DEFA said.
DEFA had earlier said it would take about three weeks for the bids to be evaluated, after which a short-list of companies will be compiled, paving the way for negotiations for a sale agreement.
In addition to supplying the fuel, interested parties must also make all infrastructure arrangements.
In terms of technology the tender is open-ended: liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), or any other technology. The top criteria are time and cost.
Cyprus is seeking to secure short-term supplies of natural gas not exceeding 1.2 billion cubic metres per year as a stop-gap solution until such time as it can bring ashore its own gas.
Under the terms of the call for expression of interest, actual supply of gas should begin no later than early 2015 and up until September 2018 when, under broader energy plans, the island should be ready to generate electricity through its own offshore blocks.

Published by :www.cyprus-mail.com