Ireland's ESB International (ESBI) has begun engineering and consultancy services for the 220-kV transmission system development serving the Hidd power and desalination plant.

ESBI was awarded the BD 742,368 ($2 million) contract by the Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW) in August (MEED 2:8:00).

The contract covers preparation of tender documents, prequalification of candidates and supervision of the project's design and development. The project is expected to go for tender in the first half of 2001, an ESBI spokesman says.

The transmission system development entails the expansion of three existing 220-kV substations at Um al-Hassam, Isa Town and Hidd and the construction of three new stations at Madinat Hamad, Jasra and the Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) industrial area.

The project will also include the supply and installation of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cabling connecting the six stations to the main transmission station.