Oman Power & Water Procurement Company (OPWP) is evaluating prequalification entries for the planned Ghubrah 3 independent water project (IWP).

OPWP received prequalification entries by 18 March for the proposed Ghubrah project, and, according to sources close to the scheme, is currently evaluating the entries before it finalises the prequalification list and proceeds with the tender for the IWP.

MEED reported in February that OPWP had appointed Netherlands-based KPMG as financial adviser, the UK’s DLA Piper as legal adviser and Germany’s Fichtner as technical adviser for the desalination project.

The planned IWP will have a capacity of 66 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD). Developers have been invited to submit prequalification entries by 18 March.

The Ghubrah project is the latest of a number of IWPs the sultanate is pressing ahead with as it seeks to meet the rapidly growing demand for desalinated water.

MEED reported in December that a consortium of South Korea’s Doosan, Japan’s JGC and the local Bahwan Group had finalised agreeements with OPWP for the contract to develop the planned Sharqiyah IWP.

Also in late 2017, OPWP awarded the contract for the 22MIGD Salalah IWP to a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power.

The consortium, which also contains France’s Veolia and the local Dhofar International Development & Investment holding Company (DIDC), will develop the 25 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD) desalination plant in the Southern Omani governorate of Dhofar.