Kuwait’s Electricity & Water Ministry has awarded the KD53.1m ($190m) contract to build its desalination plant at Al-Zour South to the local Alghanim International and France’s OTV.

The partnership was declared preferred bidder in February and the deal was finalised with a contract signing on 31 March.

The following companies also submitted bids in December last year:

• Inima (Spain)/Al-Rashed (Kuwait) – KD61.7m
• Acciona (Spain)/CGC (Kuwait) – KD63.2m
• Hitachi Zosen (Japan)/Heisco (Kuwait) – KD65.8m
• Metito (UAE)/Rafif (Kuwait) – KD72.4m
• JGC Corporation (Japan)/Thuwainy (Kuwait) – KD83.1m
• Doosan (South Korea)/Al-Omar (Kuwait) – KD96.2m
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)/Ahmadiah (Kuwait) – KD99.1m

Alghanim and OTV will provide, install, operate and maintain a reverse osmosis desalination plant with a capacity of 30 million gallons a day (g/d) of water.

A partnership of Alghanim and France’s Alstom won a contract to expand the existing Al-Zour South power plant in January. The new desalination facility will sit next to the enlarged power plant.