Daewoo E&C completes Algerian power plant project amid pandemic

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., one of South Korea’s leading builders, said on Friday that it has completed an $830 million gas-fired power plant project in Algeria, overcoming challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said it received a provisional acceptance certificate (PAC) from Algeria's SPE, a power generation affiliate of the state-owned utility Sonelgaz that ordered the project in 2012.

A PAC is a document that confirms the completion of all construction works and the readiness of the facility for operation.

The project involved building a 1,200-megawatt gas combined cycle power plant in Cap Djinet, about 65 kilometers east of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The plant consists of three units of 400 megawatts each and is expected to supply electricity to about 3 million households.

Daewoo E&C said it was the first among six Korean companies that won eight power plant projects in Algeria between 2012 and 2014 to receive a PAC. The company said it faced difficulties due to travel restrictions and supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, but managed to deliver the project on time and with high quality.

“It was a tough project due to external factors such as COVID-19, but we did not give up and handed it over to the client, thereby enhancing our reputation and technical skills,” a Daewoo E&C official said. “At a time when overseas business is becoming more important, this trust and expertise will be a great asset for us.”

Write to Hyun-Il Lee at hiuneal@hankyung.com