WasteServ replies to legal challenge on €600 million waste-to-energy plant

WasteServ has issued a response to a legal challenge by Hitachi Zosen Inova AG-Terna SA against a ruling by the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) regarding the waste-to-energy plant procurement process.

The PCRB ruling, issued in February had turned down the appeal filed by Hitachi-Zosen Inova AG - Terna S.A. against Wasteserv’s decision to award the incinerator tender to a French-Maltese consortium. Hitachi-Zosen Inova AG-Terna S.A. had submitted a compliant bid at a price tag of €781.5 million. Paprec-BBL submitted a bid just shy of €600 million.

Bonnici Brothers and the French recycling firm Paprec were selected as the preferred bidder on 13 October 2023 after submitting the lowest bid.

In a statement from WasteServ on Monday, it was stated that according to the PCRB ruling, WasteServ demonstrated meticulousness in its evaluation process and appointed a sufficient number of experts to ensure a serious and thorough evaluation.

"The PCRB board also stated it was satisfied that WasteServ, 'afforded the same and equal level of treatment to all economic operators participating in this tender process, to the fullest adherence to the content of the tender document'."

According to WasteServ, the appeal filed before the Court of Appeal will delay the project's implementation.