The turbine bidders are the US' General Electric, France's Alstom Power, Germany's Siemensand Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The estimated $70 million-80 million contract will involve the supply of turbines with capacity of 240 MW. Once the turbine supplier is selected, Aramco will issue a tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. The successful EPC contractor will be assigned the turbines as a long-lead item.

Companies were prequalified in early December for the proposed small Aramco build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) desalination plant at Rabigh on the Red Sea coast. A tender was issued in mid-December for the project. The plant will have capacity of about 10,000 cubic metres a day.

The Berri plants are part of Aramco's aim to significantly increase its captive power capacity. Plans for four independent power plant projects have already been issued among developers. They will be situated at Juaimah, Shedgum, Ras Tanoura and Uthmaniya and will have capacities of 200-300 MW. Proposals are due in February.