The bids will be opened as soon as the technical evaluation process has been completed. Three international groups are competing for the contract, which is being handled by the Hydroelectric Power Generating Company(MEED 29:11:02).

The three bidders are a Japanese team of Toshiba Corporationwith Nissho Iwai, France's Alstomand a joint venture of Germany's Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generationwith Russia's Electrosila. The five-year contract is expected to be awarded in May. Germany's Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau is providing the equivalent of $76 million in finance.

The Aswan dam has 12 turbine generators, each with capacity of 175 MW, and was built by Russian companies in the 1960s. The consultant for the rehabilitation is a Swedish team of Swecoand Swedpower(MEED 6:9:02).