The Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has officially signed a construction contract for the Ghazi Barotha hydroelectric project and has selected a preferred bidder for the supply of turbines.

China's Dongfang Electric Corporation has been awarded the Rs 8,600 million ($214 million) contract for the construction of the 1,450-MW power complex.The complex will have five units and Dongfang will also build the associated infrastructure facilities. Dongfang

submitted the lowest bid for the work in January.

Austria's Voith has been selected as preferred bidder for the contract to supply five 290-MW turbines, project sources say. The selection is now awaiting donor approval from Japan's Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund. Germany's Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau will be co-funding the contract and has already approved the selection. The sources say that clarification meetings will be held with Voith after Japanese approval has been received, and that a letter of award could be issued about one month later. The Anglo/French GEC Alsthom submitted the lowest bid for the contract at Rs 2,847 million ($71 million).

GEC Alsthom also submitted the low bid for the contract to supply generators at Rs 2,581 million ($64.4 million). The sources say that the contract is still under evaluation. Eight other companies also submitted bids for the work. Tender documents for further contracts are expected early next year. The consultant is Pakistan Hydro Consultants, a joint venture comprising Harza Engineering Company of the US, Ewbank Preece and Binnie, Black & Veatch, both of the UK, and two local firms, National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) and Associated Consulting Engineers (MEED 8:11:96; 5:7:96).