The developers submitting offers were: Dubai-based AES Oasis; France's Total, Belgium's Tractabel; and a team comprising Singapore's Sembcorp with Nissho Iwaiand Kansei Electric, both of Japan. The notable absentee from the final bid list was a group led by the UK's International Power (IP), which carried out the Al-Kamil independent power project (IPP). It is understood that IP's decision not to bid was caused by issues with its nominated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors.

The Sohar IWPP calls for the construction of a 480-550-MW, 30-million-gallon-a-day plant, with first power available by 1 January 2006 and full commissioning a year later. Advising the ministry on the scheme is a team of Societe Generalewith Denton Wilde & Sapte, BankMuscatand Germany's Fichtner (MEED 20:2:04).