Bidders for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract were requested to submit two sets of prices. The first, a base price, involves the supply and installation of two 12.5 million-gallon-a-day (g/d) units. The alternative offer covers four units of the same capacity. The units will use multi-stage flash (MSF) technology. The scope of work also includes the construction of a seawater cooling system.

A team of Hyundai Heavy Industries Companyand Hyundai Engineering & Construction, both of South Korea, with Japan's Sasakura Engineering Company,submitted low prices for both options.

It quoted a base price of KD 76.7 million ($247 million), about 3.6 per cent lower than the next quote of KD 79.6 million ($256 million) offered by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Companyof South Korea.

For the alternative offer, the Hyundai team offered a price of KD 100.3 million ($323 million), some 8 per cent less than Doosan's quote of KD 109.8 million ($353 million).

The facilities are expected to be commissioned in just under 30 months. Further expansion of Subiya is planned, with eventual capacity at the site expected to reach 100 million g/d.

Power and steam for the proposed desalination project will be supplied from the 2,400-MW Subiya power plant.