Companies were invited to price one or more of the bid packages, as well as submit a turnkey quote for the entire project. For the turnkey option, two South Korean companies - Doosan Heavy Industries & Constructionand Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI)- submitted quotes, with the lowest bid, announced by DEWA, coming from Doosan at AED 2,959 million ($806 million).

Four international contractors priced the power island, with the lowest bid coming from Germany's Siemens Power Generationat AED 1,580 million ($430 million). The four other bidders - Doosan, HHI and Japan's Mitsui & Companyand Mitsubishi Corporation- all quoted above AED 1,640 million ($446 million).

For the desalination package, the UK's Weir Westgarthis low bidder at AED 1,058 million ($288 million), followed by a group headed by Italy's Fisia Italimpiantiat AED 1,083 million ($295 million).

For the substation package, which involves the construction of a 400-kV gas- insulated switchgear substation, Paris-based Alstom T&Dis the low bidder, while the local Emirates Trading Agencyis low bidder for the 400-kV transmission package.

Thestation will be located to the south of the G plant. The plant's commissioning is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2005. At a later date, a second-phase expansion is planned, which will see capacity doubled.

Germany's Lahmeyer Internationalis the consultant for phase 1.