Under the latest tender, SEC calls for the installation of two Frame-6 turbines each of 30 MW at Wadi al-Dawasir power station, east of Bisha. Bids are due to be submitted by 30 May. Local companies such as Al-Toukhi Contracting, Arabian Bemco Contractingand National Contracting Company (NCC)are expected to bid for the project.

Contracts were signed for the three power projects in the south in early March. A team comprising NCC and Germany's Siemens signed up for the estimated $180 million expansion of the Asir and Bisha power stations. Work has started on the contracts, which call for the addition of one Siemens V84.2 turbine at Asir and two at Bisha.

Al-Toukhi signed the $89 million contract to expand the Jizan plant by about 200 MW through the installation of three GEFrame 7 turbines. All three contracts include the option to add an additional unit.

Contractors are awaiting the opening of commercial offers on Riyadh's PP7 power station. Five local and international contractors submitted bids to SEC in December for the project to add two gas turbines with capacity of at least 55 MW at the station (MEED 19:12:03).

Contractors are also preparing proposals for the 1,200-MW upgrade of Riyadh's PP9 power station. Bids are due on 3 April (MEED 9:1:04).