The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract calls for the modification, upgrade and rehabilitation of the auxiliary power units and 11 multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination units at the power and water plant. Work on upgrading the units will require temporary shutdowns, and is expected to take two-three years to complete.

The Doha East power and water plant, which was commissioned in 1979, has electricity generating capacity of 1,158 MW and desalination capacity of about 42 million gallons a day. The project is aimed at increasing the plant's operational lifetime by a further 10-20 years.

The bid deadline for the EPC contract covering the construction of the state's first commercial reverse osmosis (RO) plant at Shuwaikh has been extended by seven weeks to 16 October. Nine of the 13 prequalified contractors recently attended a pre-tender meeting (MEED 22:7:05).