The three are: a German joint venture of Siemensand Koch; France's Alstom Power, with Belgium's CMI; and Spain's Abeinair, with Skodaof the Czech Republic(MEED 12:9:03). The contract includes the addition of three heat recovery steam generators and a 150-MW steam turbine unit at each plant. The power stations have three 125-MW gas turbines. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development will finance most of the scheme.

A contract award was initially planned in 2002, but the tender was scrapped after only one company submitted a proposal. The scope was then reduced to exclude the installation of an additional gas turbine. Ireland's ESB International (ESBI)in 2001 won the contract to draw up the specifications for the conversion of the two plants (MEED 22:8:03).

PEEGT also received bids from seven international contractors by the 20 October deadline on the project to convert the 200-MW Tishreen power plant into combined cycle. The scope of works covers the installation of a 100-MW steam turbine and two heat recovery steam generators. The project was first tendered in 2002, but PEEGT decided to cancel the tender after two preferred bidders overshot the budget target of $70 million.

The Tishreen conversion is being financed with funds from the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, with additional finance to be provided by Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (MEED 3:10:03).