New dam in Central Greece to go through via PPP

Another major PPP project is being promoted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and concerns the creation of a Dam (after the Havria Dam in Halkidiki). This time it is the Enipeas River Dam in Farsala which includes water distribution networks and other accompanying projects.

The beginning was made with the decision of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Costas Karamanlis on March 2, to be characterized as a National Level project, Special and Important. The cost of the project is estimated at VAT including 70 million euros.

By another decision, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to assign, through a tender, to a Technical Consultant the maturation of the project, with an amount of 172,360 euros (amount including VAT). The competition will be held by invitation and the following were invited:

a) G. KARAVOKYRIS AND ASSOCIATES SA.
b) EMBIS CONSULTING ENGINEERS SA
c) HYDROMENT CONSULTING ENGINEERS SA
d) HYDROEXYANGTIKI LAZAROS S. LAZARIDIS & CO SA

The next steps until the auction

The next step is the submission of a proposal by the ministry to the General Secretariat for Private Investments and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for the issuance of a decision of the Interministerial Committee for Public-Private Partnerships (“DESDIT”), in order for the project to be subject to law 3389/2005, as it is in force.

The project has already been included in the program planning of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The Contracting Authority of the project is the Directorate of Flood and Land Improvement Works of the General Directorate of Hydraulic, Port & Building Infrastructure of the General Secretariat of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

The auction of the project can take place in 2021 and the duration of the PPP is estimated at 25-30 years. The project is estimated to mobilize all major companies in the field.

The implementation of the project is considered a top priority and necessary to ensure:

(a) flood protection of areas downstream of the dam;
(b) the irrigation of approximately 110,000 acres in Farsala, Almyros and Domoko,
(c) water supply deficit areas, and
(d) the protection of the environment through the enrichment of underground aquifers and the maintenance of ecological supply.

The benefits to agriculture from the creation of the Dam

The construction of a dam in Enipeas, enables the exploitation of 76 to 80 million cubic meters of water per year, ensuring 50 million cubic meters for irrigation and water supply, overturning the negative water balance of the landfill of Farsala plain.

15.50 million cubic meters are provided for ecological supply, thus ensuring a continuous flow in Enipeas of the order of 0.50 cubic meters per second. Quite a serious amount of water, which includes the ecological supply, participates in the enrichment of the Farsala plain, while the possibility of energy exploitation of 50 million cubic meters for electricity production is given.