German energy giant to bid on Negev solar plant

The tender to build and operate the Negev solar power station is drawing international alternative energy companies to Israel

Apr 30, 2008 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Lior Baron Globes, Tel Aviv, Israel

The tender to build and operate the Negev solar power station at Ashelim is drawing international alternative energy companies to Israel. Sources inform "Globes" that Germany's Solar Millennium AG (XETRA: S2M), one of the world's top three solar energy companies, plans to participate in the $650-700 million tender. Solar Millennium is considering collaborating with some of the Israeli companies already participating in the tender, and recently met representatives of Israel Corp. (TASE: ILCO) to discuss a possible joint bid in the tender.

Israel Corp. subsidiary IC Green Energy Ltd. (ICG), run by president and CEO Dr. Yom-Tov Samia, is a bidder in the tender. ICG declined to comment on the report.

Sources close to Solar Millennium confirmed that the company was interested in the project, but emphasized that, although the company had met a number of leading companies, there was no agreement with anyone at this stage.