Source: https://tendernation.io/opportunities/01a13e41-0b98-727a-b9bb-0fcc31444b57/technical-assessment-for-sub-sea-interconnection Open for bids KN restricted procedure # Technical assessment for sub-sea interconnection [Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities](https://tendernation.io/buyers/ministry-of-public-infrastructure-energy-and-utilities) Estimated value Not stated Published 1 Oct 2026 Deadline 4 days left 22 Oct 2026 ## About this tender ### REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION) ### Saint Kitts and Nevis Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility Project ### Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.:\_GFPP Grant No. TF0C9072 Assignment Title: Grid Modernization and Submarine Cable Interconnection Study Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): KN-MPIEU-528498-CS-CDS The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Preparation Grant for the Caribbean Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility – SOP2, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The consulting services (“the Services”) include a study that shall explicitly address the climate and disaster-risk vulnerabilities typical of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including hurricane and cyclone resilience of grid and submarine cable infrastructure, seismic and volcanic hazard exposure characteristic of the Lesser Antilles, and regional energy-security cooperation. The assignment will be for a duration of 10 months and shall deliver a technically robust, investment-ready roadmap for modernizing the electrical grids of Saint Kitts and Nevis and interconnecting them via submarine cable, enabling full integration of renewable energy - including the proposed 30–50 MW geothermal plant, utility-scale solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) - into a resilient, climate-responsive grid. Specific objectives include: Grid Modernization: assess and redesign transmission and distribution infrastructure on both islands, including reconfiguration to a 69 kV ring topology, to reduce losses, improve reliability, and prepare the network for high renewable penetration. Geothermal Integration: evaluate and specify transmission and substation requirements for delivering up to 50 MW of geothermal generation to both islands. Submarine and Terrestrial Cable Interconnection: develop a technical, economically, and environmentally sound interconnection plan, including demonstrated technology and voltage selection, route selection, redundancy analysis, cable protection, terrestrial corridor works, and landing-point substation design. Smart Grid and Digitalization: Design the SCADA architecture and associated Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), cybersecurity protocols, and integration pathways for electric vehicles (EV’s and energy storage Preliminary Environmental and Social Assessment: Prepare preliminary E&S studies for the 1) submarine cable and terrestrial route survey design, and 2) transmission ring topology and substation design. Ensure full compliance with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), and international technical standards (IEC, IEEE, ICPC). Risk and Climate Resilience: establish a risk management framework (register, quantification, escalation, contingency planning) and a climate vulnerability assessment covering extreme-weather and geohazard resilience. Capacity Building: transfer technical knowledge to SKELEC, NEVLEC, and government agencies through structured training and documentation.\[i\] The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the primary procurement stage for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure et. al. now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: The Consultant shall assemble a multidisciplinary team of international and local experts, each with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience and a demonstrated track record on World Bank or comparable development-partner–funded projects in small island power systems (see TOR for composition of the team). Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” February 2025, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: ### Unfair Competitive Advantage 3.17 Fairness and transparency in the selection process require that Consultants or their affiliates, competing for a Consulting assignment do not derive a competitive advantage from having provided Consulting Services related to it. To that end, the Borrower shall make available to all short-listed Consultants, together with the request for proposals document, all information that would give a Consultant a competitive advantage. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations. This EOI can be found on the following websites: [mopieudt.gov.kn/study](https://mopieudt.gov.kn/study) [gov.kn](https://www.sknis@gov.kn) Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1600 hours. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail by 22nd October, 2026. Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities Attn: Shaniqua Carey-Brown Rams Commercial Complex ### Camps ### St. Kitts ### Tel: 1-869-467-1488 E-mail: ### TERMS OF REFERENCE Grid Modernization and Submarine Cable Interconnection Study ### Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Financed under the World Bank Caribbean Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility (RREIIF) and the Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP) - Background and Context 1 1.1 Country and Sector Context............................................................ 1 1.2 Policy Framework and Rationale.................................................... 1 1.3 SIDS Climate and Disaster-Risk Context......................................... 1 - Objectives.............................................................................................. 1 2.1 Main Study Goals............................................................................. 1 2.2 Key Expected Outcomes.................................................................. 1 2.3 Intended Users and Stakeholders................................................... 1 - Scope of Services................................................................................... 1 3.1 Grid Modernization - Saint Kitts and Nevis.................................. 1 3.2 Submarine Cable Interconnection.................................................. 1 3.2.1 Technology and Voltage Selection........................................... 1 3.2.2 Route Selection, Marine Survey and Geohazard Screening.... 1 3.2.3 Cable Design, Redundancy and Protection.............................. 1 3.2.4 Existing Infrastructure, Crossings and Third-Party Interests.. 1 3.2.5 Landing-Point Substations........................................................ 1 3.3 Terrestrial Cable and Transmission Works..................................... 1 3.4 Integration Readiness Analysis....................................................... 1 3.5 Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.......... 1 3.6 Economic Analysis, Risk Management and Digital Tools............... 1 3.7 Independent Design Review (Owner's Engineer Function)........... 1 3.8 Procurement and Capacity Building............................................... 1 3.9 Implementation Readiness and Transition Planning..................... 1 - Deliverables and Reporting.................................................................. 1 4.1 Deliverables Matrix......................................................................... 1 4.2 Reporting Format Requirements.................................................... 1 - Team Composition and Expert Requirements..................................... 1 - Project Timeline and Reporting Protocols........................................... 1 6.1 Timeline (10 Months)...................................................................... 1 Phase 1: Project Initiation (Months 1–2).......................................... 1 ### Phase 2: Assessment and Analysis (Months 3–5) 1 Phase 3: Detailed Studies and Design (Months 6–8)........................ 1 Phase 4: Finalization and Reporting (Months 9–10)........................ 1 6.2 Stage-Gated Reporting Protocol..................................................... 1 - Budget and Payment Schedule............................................................. 1 Progress-Based Payment Structure...................................................... 1 Key Assumptions................................................................................... 1 - Evaluation Criteria................................................................................ 1 - Reference Standards and Appendices................................................. 1 9.1 World Bank and International Standards....................................... 1 9.2 Appendices and Supporting Documentation................................. 1 - Background and Context 1.1 Country and Sector Context The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis operates two independent electrical systems: Saint Kitts (SKELEC), with approximately 53 MW of installed generating capacity and 30 MW peak demand, and Nevis (NEVLEC), with approximately 19.3 MW of installed capacity and 11.5 MW peak demand. Both systems experience high losses - approximately 8.85 % in St. Kitts and 8.8% in Nevis - and remain heavily dependent on diesel generation, resulting in elevated electricity costs, exposure to fuel-price volatility, and constrained capacity to absorb variable renewable energy. 1.2 Policy Framework and Rationale Anchored in the Revised National Energy Policy and the Federation's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the Government is committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity generation by 2030 and reducing economy-wide CO emissions by 61% relative to 2010 levels, drawing substantially on Nevis's geothermal potential together with utility-scale solar, wind, and battery energy storage. Realizing these targets requires comprehensive grid modernization on both islands, a submarine cable interconnection linking the two systems, and integration of the proposed 30–50 MW Nevis geothermal plant. This assignment is financed under the World Bank's Caribbean Resilient Renewable Energy Infrastructure Investment Facility (RREIIF) and the Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP), and builds on prior feasibility studies and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) commissioned by SKELEC, NEVLEC, Ministry of Sustainability, and the Energy Unit, as well as regional frameworks such as the OECS Decade for Sustainable Energy and the CARICOM Energy Policy. 1.3 SIDS Climate and Disaster-Risk Context The Study shall explicitly address the climate and disaster-risk vulnerabilities typical of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including hurricane and cyclone resilience of grid and submarine cable infrastructure, seismic and volcanic hazard exposure characteristic of the Lesser Antilles, and regional energy-security cooperation. - Objectives 2.1 Main Study Goals The assignment will deliver a technically robust, investment-ready roadmap for modernizing the electrical grids of Saint Kitts and Nevis and interconnecting them via submarine cable, enabling full integration of renewable energy - including the proposed 30–50 MW geothermal plant, utility-scale solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) - into a resilient, climate-responsive grid. Specific objectives include: Grid Modernization: assess and redesign transmission and distribution infrastructure on both islands, including reconfiguration to a 69 kV ring topology, to reduce losses, improve reliability, and prepare the network for high renewable penetration. Geothermal Integration: evaluate and specify transmission and substation requirements for delivering up to 50 MW of geothermal generation to both islands. Submarine and Terrestrial Cable Interconnection: develop a technical, economically, and environmentally sound interconnection plan, including demonstrated technology and voltage selection, route selection, redundancy analysis, cable protection, terrestrial corridor works, and landing-point substation design. Smart Grid and Digitalization: Design the SCADA architecture and associated Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), cybersecurity protocols, and integration pathways for electric vehicles (EV’s and energy storage Preliminary Environmental and Social Assessment: Prepare preliminary E&S studies for the 1) submarine cable and terrestrial route survey design, and 2) transmission ring topology and substation design. Ensure full compliance with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), and international technical standards (IEC, IEEE, ICPC). Risk and Climate Resilience: establish a risk management framework (register, quantification, escalation, contingency planning) and a climate vulnerability assessment covering extreme-weather and geohazard resilience. Capacity Building: transfer technical knowledge to SKELEC, NEVLEC, and government agencies through structured training and documentation. 2.2 Key Expected Outcomes Technical specifications of Tender Package: a complete suite of technical specifications of procurement packages for grid upgrades, geothermal integration, and interconnection works, including technical specifications, cost estimates, implementation phasing, risk allocation considerations, and documentation suitable for inclusion in tender and financing processes. Detailed Technical Specifications: engineering design concepts and digital modernization strategies enabling efficient, secure dispatch of renewable energy at all scales, independently reviewed prior to procurement (see Section 3.7). Preliminary Environmental and Social Assessment: consistent with World Bank ESF and international best practices, including marine, terrestrial, and third party-infrastructure considerations. Stakeholder Engagement and Inclusion: consultation records, gender and vulnerability assessments, and a result-based monitoring and evaluation framework. Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer: structured programs for local utilities and government agencies to ensure sustainability and technical self-reliance. 2.3 Intended Users and Stakeholders Government Ministries and Agencies: Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities; the Energy Unit; Ministry of Finance; and Ministry of Environment and Transport, for policy development, budgeting, and regulatory oversight. State-Owned Utilities: SKELEC and NEVLEC, for technical implementation, grid operation, and asset management. Private Developers and Investors: geothermal, solar, wind, and Power-to-X developers requiring clear interconnection requirements and grid expansion plans to mobilize project finance. International Financing Partners: the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, requiring transparent, data-backed project documents that comply with fiduciary and safeguard standards. Local Communities and Civil Society: benefiting from inclusive consultation, improved energy services, disaster resilience, and employment opportunities. Additional Institutional Stakeholders (per prior study mapping): building on the stakeholder mapping conducted under the prior GCF-financed T&D/EV study, the Development Control Planning Board, Department of Physical Planning (Nevis), Ministry of Sustainable Development (including the National Designated Authority), Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, St. Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, licensed vehicle importers, and Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, among others, shall be consulted as relevant to grid modernization and EV-charging integration. - Scope of Services The scope is organized into clearly separated packages of work, consistent with international practice for terrestrial and subsea interconnector studies: desktop review, route/technology assessment, geophysical and geotechnical investigation, environmental and social screening, engineering design, cost estimation, procurement support, and implementation planning. The land-based (terrestrial) and marine (subsea) elements of the interconnection are treated as distinct workstreams throughout, reflecting their different technical inputs, approval pathways, and risk profiles. 3.1 Grid Modernization - Saint Kitts and Nevis Conduct a full audit of transmission and distribution assets on both islands - substations, feeders, transformers, and protection/control systems - including load-flow analysis, capacity-constraint identification, and power-quality/harmonic measurements. Redesign the 11 kV networks from radial to loop/ring configuration, establishing a 69 kV ring on both St. Kitts and Nevis, with conductor sizing optimization and integration points for utility-scale solar, storage, and EV-charging infrastructure. Design new primary substations and switching stations - 69/11 kV (St. Kitts) and 11/69 kV (Nevis) - for submarine cable interconnection, with SCADA and protection systems integrated with existing facilities. Specify dedicated transmission lines, substation requirements, and conduct grid-stability/voltage-regulation studies for geothermal plant connection. Conduct a grid-code gap analysis against Caribbean and World Bank standards and propose updated grid codes and performance standards (SAIDI, SAIFI, ENS) for renewable integration, including fault ride-through requirements. Define power-system modelling software and scenarios, including N-1/N-2 contingency analysis, renewable-penetration cases, and minimum/maximum load conditions. Review and Build on Prior Assessment: incorporate and validate the findings of the prior T&D Efficiency and Vulnerability Assessment (August 2025), including its recommended system upgrades (reactive compensation, advanced metering infrastructure, reconductoring of low-capacity feeders, SCADA and automated switching, and double-busbar 11 kV switchboard replacement), to avoid duplicating previously completed diagnostic work. 3.2 Submarine Cable Interconnection The following sub-sections set out the marine interconnection scope in the level of technical detail expected of a tender ready, internationally benchmarked TOR (consistent with practice on comparable World Bank-financed interconnectors, and close gaps identified through comparison against ICPC/CIGRE industry guidance. 3.2.1 Technology and Voltage Selection The Consultant shall not assume the voltage level or transmission technology. Rather, the Consultant shall demonstrate, through a documented technical and economic comparison, the recommended choice of AC versus HVDC transmission and the associated voltage level for the ≈ 15–20 km strait crossing, considering: Capital and lifecycle cost comparison between HVAC and HVDC options at candidate voltage levels; Technical suitability given the crossing distance, load profile, and future expansion (including eventual OECS/CARICOM multi-country interoperability); Reactive power compensation requirements and cable charging-current constraints for the AC case; Converter station footprint, cost, an… Read full description ## CPV classification Market and economic research; polling and statistics Source World Bank Procurement · Notice OP00472554 [View official notice](https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/procurement-detail/OP00472554) Never miss a tender like this again Get AI summaries, deadline alerts and a bid pipeline for tenders matched to your business. 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