Industry sources say IWPC has invited international engineering firms active in Iran to submit proposals for the project. The tender for the main packages on the scheme is expected to be issued by November following the appointment of the engineering consultant. The project will cover the construction of two dams and a 1,000-MW power station, which will provide peak-load energy.

The Siah-Bisheh scheme was first tendered in the early 1980s, with Germany's Lahmeyer Internationalacting as consultant, but progress was halted due to cash shortages when 10 per cent of the civil works were completed. Following the completion of a feasibility study by Electricite de France earlier this year, IWPC decided to revive the project.

IWPC has 7,500 MW of new hydropower capacity under construction and is studying the possibility of installing another 10,000 MW (Power, MEED Special Report, 2:8:02, pages 23-24).