The first phase of the 656-MW, 100 million-gallon-a-day (g/d) co-generation plant is currently under construction by South Korea's Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Company. Under its $802 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, Doosan is due to commission the desalination units in the third quarter of 2003.

UWEC is planning a second-phase development of the Qidfa site, which will involve the addition of a further 100 million g/d and 800-1,000 MW of net export power generating capacity. The client is understood to have prequalified about five international firms to bid for the consultancy contract. They are ESB International of Ireland, PB Power and Mott MacDonald, both of the UK, and Fichtner and Lahmeyer International, both of Germany. The tender is expected to be issued before the end of the year.

UWEC also invited EPC contractors to express their interest by mid-October in bidding for the phase 2 project. However, there is a possibility that phase 2 could be implemented on a build-own-operate basis (MEED 20:9:02).