The contractor was recently awarded two contracts by Saudi Electricity Company as part of the third phase of extension to the PP9 power plant in Riyadh. Bemco will install new turbines and air-cooling systems at the plant. The company will begin work on the contracts late next year, with completion scheduled for January 2009. The extension of the plant will add 666 MW to its capacity, raising it to 3,500 MW.

'The bulk of our costs for the project come from the turbines we are buying,' says Ghassan Basna, Bemco's vice-president for finance. 'This is a short-term deal to fund the gap between payment for the turbines and completion.'