Oman Power and Water Company (OPWP) has set a deadline of 5 March 2011 for bids to build a 1,500MW independent power project (IPP) at Sur.

The deadline for purchasing the request for proposals (RFP) document has now passed. The 29 companies that bought the RFP are:

• Marubeni Corporation (Japan)
• Mitsui & Co (Japan)
• ACWA Power International (Saudi Arabia)
• Siemens (Germany)
• Saudi Oger (Saudi Arabia)
• Sojitz Corporation (Japan)
• AES Oasis (US)
• Sembcorp (Singapore)
• Wartsila (Finland)
• Consolidated Contractors Company (Athens-based)
• Suez Tractebel (Belgium)
• Mubadala (UAE)
• Jindal Power (India)
• Taqa Arabia (Egypt)
• Tata (India)
• Lanco (India)
• IL & FS Energy Development Company (India)
• Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (UAE)
• International Power (UK)
• Al Hassan Engineering Company (Oman)
• Tokyo Electric Power Company (Japan)
• Sinohydro Corporation (China)
• Itochu Corporation (Japan)
• International Free Company (Iraq)
• Procomon & Asociados (Panama)
• Enka (Turkey)
• Posco (South Korea)
• General Electric (US)
• Ozaltin Construction (Turkey)

The tender will be carried out with an integrated request for qualification (RFQ) process. Developers have until 18 October to respond to the RFQ. The companies that are prequalified to bid for the project are expected to be notified by mid-November. Bids to build the project are to be fully-financed and must be submitted by 5 March 2011.

The winning bidder will bring 400MW early power capacity online by summer 2013 to help the country meet its peak demand needs during the hot months. Full commissioning is scheduled for completion by the following summer.

OPWP had originally intended to build an independent water and power project (IWPP) at Al-Ghubrah to take advantage of existing infrastructure in the area and allow the older plant at the site to be retired. However, due to environmental impact issues associated with the Al-Ghubrah site and its proximity to residential areas in Muscat, OPWP decided to cancel the Al-Ghubrah IWPP in favour of a facility at Sur.

Sur is located south of the capital on the coastline and offers a large area, which is ready for construction and access to an existing pipeline that feeds the Oman LNG plant operating on the outskirts of the site. Further, Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) is already implementing projects to reinforce the transmission system around Sur, which will allow power to be exported to the Main Interconnected System.

The advisory team that was selected to work on the shelved Al-Ghubrah plant was transferred to the Sur IPP in July. Ernst & Young, DLA Piper and British Power International, all from the UK, are now consultants on the Sur project.