Award close for Cairo North turbines

14 December 2001

A contract award is understood to be imminent for the gas turbine package on the 750-MW Cairo North combined cycle power station project. Bids are also scheduled to be submitted over the next few weeks for two other major equipment supply packages, and tender documents are ready to be sent out to prequalified contractors for the civil works package (MEED 9:11:01).

Just two bids were submitted for the supply of a pair of 250-MW gas turbines. GE Power Systemsof the US submitted the lowest read-out price, at £E 425 million ($100 million), compared with £E 464 million ($109 million) from Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The offers are being evaluated by the client - the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company- and project consultant the US/local Power Generation Engineering & Services Company (PGESCo).

Bids are to be submitted by a revised closing date of 7 January for the 250-MW steam turbine package, and a deadline of 13 February has been set for bids to supply the heat recovery steam generators.

Six local companies have been prequalfied for the civil works package, which is expected to be issued for tender in January or February. They are Orascom Construction Industries, AIC, Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Company), Kolaly Engineering Company, Misr Sons Development (Hassan Allam Sons Development Group), and Industrial Construction & Engineering Company (SIAC). Bidders have been asked to team up with an international company to provide project management services.

Foreign currency costs of the project are being covered by loans from three agencies. The European Investment Bank is providing Eur 150 million ($134 million), KD 27 million ($88 million) is coming from the Kuwait-based Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development, and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank has agreed to lend $41 million.

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