A group including representatives of Kuwait’s Partnerships Technical Bureau (PTB) and a team of advisers have concluded a global roadshow, meeting potential investors in the second phase of the country’s Al-Zour North independent power and water project (IWPP).

The tour included meeting with companies, banks and export credit agencies (ECAs) based in Asia and Europe among others, and was intended to test the market’s appetite for the planned second phase of the project and to answer interested parties’ questions.

The first phase of the Al-Zour North scheme reached financial close at the end of last year. The project comprises the construction of a 1,500MW gas-fired combined-cycle power and sea water desalination plant.

The $2bn scheme is the first to be successfully procured by the PTB as part of Kuwait’s public-private partnership (PPP) programme.

The financial advisers on the second phase of the project are France’s BNP Paribas, Germany’s Lahmeyer and the US’ Chadbourne & Parke, the same team that advised on the first phase of the IWPP.

A request for prequalification is expected to be issued later this year, shortly followed by a request for proposals.