China's Dongfang Electric Corporation is the low bidder for the third contract, C3, on the 1,450-MW Ghazi Barotha hydroelectric power station. Dongfang submitted a bid of Rs 8,900 million ($260 million) for the power complex civil works, with a possible discount of Rs 300 million ($87.7 million), bringing the bid to Rs 8,600 million ($251.3 million). The contract will involve building a 1,450-MW power house with five units and associated infrastructure facilities.

The other bidders for the contract are:

Hyundal Engineering & Construction Company of South Korea - Rs 9,900 million ($ 289.3 million) Spie Batignolles of France- - Rs 10,900 million ($318.6 million) Impregilo of Italy- - Rs 11,100 million ($324.4 million) Daelim of South Korea - Rs 11,400 million ($333.2 million) Andrade Gutierrez Perfuracoes of Brazil- Rs 14,300 million ($417.9 million) Five of the 11 prequalified companies did not submit bids.

Impregilo won the first two contracts on the project for the construction of a barrage 7 kilometres downstream of the Tarbela dam, and for work to divert water at Ghazi to a 52-kilometre power channel.

The consultant is the local Pakistan Hydro Consultants, a joint venture comprising Harza Engineering Company International of the US, Ewbank Preece and Binnie & Partners both of the UK, and two local firms, National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) and Associated Consulting Engineers. The client is the Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The consultant expects to submit a recommendation to the client in the first quarter of 1996.

The bulk of the finance for the project is coming from the World Bank, Japan's Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund, the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and Germany's Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau (MEED 26:1:96).