SAC is expected to award by April the EPCM contract, which will cover a single potline with capacity of 326,000 tonnes a year. Project company shareholder, Canada's Alcan, will supply its advanced version of the Pechiney AP30 technology for the potline, as well as supplying the required alumina feedstock and offtaking all the metal produced. SNC carried out the feasibility study for the smelter.

The EPCM tender does not include the proposed 740-780-MW captive power plant, which will be tendered separately.

The current schedule sees financial close in the third quarter of 2005, the start of construction a month later, the first power and metal produced in the fourth quarter of 2007, construction completed in January 2008 and full operations starting in the second quarter of 2008. A second potline is envisaged by 2010.

The shareholders in SAC are Oman Oil Company (OOC)with 40 per cent, Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), also with 40 per cent, and Alcan with the remaining 20 per cent.