Athens-based Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCC) has a contract worth AED 145 million ($39 million) to carry out the civil works for the power island. The order was placed by Japan's Toshiba Corporation, which along with its compatriot Mitsubishi Corporationhas the AED 1,545 million ($451 million) contract for the 650-700 MW power plant.

The other two contracts cover civil works for the proposed new 70 million-gallon-a-day desalination plant. The local Actco has a contract worth AED 90 million ($24 million) for the onshore works, while the local/Austrian Overseas AST Company has a AED 50 million ($14 million) contract for the offshore works. Both orders were placed by Italy's Fisia Italimpianti, which has the AED 1,034 million ($421 million) contract for the desalination plant.

In May, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority awarded engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to Toshiba/Mitsubishi and Fisia for the proposed power and desalination project.

A tender is due to be issued by October for two more subcontracts. Each worth about AED 100 million ($27 million), they will cover mechanical and instrumentation works for the proposed power plant and desalination unit.

The plant's commissioning is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2005. At a later date, a second-phase expansion is planned that will see capacity doubled. Germany's Lahmeyer Internationalis the consultant for the first phase.