Contractors prepare for Maaden cogen

14 July 2006
Local and international contractors are preparing for the release of invitation to bid (ITB) documents on the Ras al-Zour power and desalination plant, planned by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden). The tender, together with the prequalification shortlist, will be issued on 15 August (MEED 10:3:06).

The cogeneration plant will have power capacity of 160 MW and 10,000 cubic metres a day of desalination, using multi-effect distillation (MED) technology. Maaden had considered developing the facility on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, but has informed prospective bidders that the contract will be let on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis.

The captive cogeneration plant will serve the estimated $2,500 million Ras al-Zour fertiliser complex, for which Maaden, has recently awarded a number of major packages (see page 16).

Maaden is planning a separate, larger cogeneration facility for its multi-billion-dollar aluminium refinery and smelter complex, also located at Ras al-Zour. The contract to build the 1,800-MW plant is expected to be tendered some time next year (MEED 7:4:06).

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