Germany's Siemens submitted a low offer of about KD 130 million ($418 million), some 7 per cent cheaper than the next price of about KD 138 million ($445 million) offered by the Swiss office of France's Alstom Power. The third bidder was GE Power Systems of the US, which priced the contract at about KD 195 million ($628 million).

The contract covers the supply and installation of open cycle gas turbines, each with capacity of 125-200 MW, as well as related civil works. Of the total proposed capacity, 400 MW is targeted for installation by the summer of 2004 and the remaining 600 MW by early 2005. The US' Parsons Brinckerhoff International is the consultant for the project. The client is the Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW).

MEW had originally invited bids for a 1,000-MW power plant at Shuaiba. However, the tender was cancelled after the National Assembly (parliament) objected on the grounds that the project had not passed through the Central Tenders Committee (MEED 15:2:02).