The State Hydraulics Agency (DSI) has received applications from nine ventures to prequalify for the $1,400 million Greater Melen river water supply project for Istanbul (MEED 22:7:94). A short list should be drawn up in the next two months, according to industry sources.

The nine are:

Italy's Snamprogetti and Lotti

Sweden's IBG, Italy's Enel and Universal, Switzerland's Ismes, and the local Gizbili

Japan's Nippon Koei, with the UK's Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners and Mott MacDonald, and Setan, Su Yapi, Temelsu, Dapta, and Sial, all local

the US' Pell Frischmann

the US' CH2M Hill International, Denmark's COWIconsult, Japan's Unico and CUS, with Sistem Planlama, Yapi Teknik and UBM, all local

Japan's EPDC and PCI, with the UK's Sir William Halcrow & Partners, Germany's Lahmeyer, and Dolsar, Su Is, and TMB, all local

the US' Bechtel and Greely & Hansen with the local Enet

the US' Brown & Root with Japan's CKC, the UK's Ove Arup & Partners, and the local Tumas

the UK's Acer Group, Japan's Sanyu, and Acer Muhendislik, Ensu, Tekar and Seyas, all local.

The project will be largely financed by credit valued at about $1,050 million from Japan's Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund (OECF), the first $495 million tranche of which was signed in November 1993. It includes a weir on the Melen river, a 150-kilometre transmission pipeline, pumping stations, a water treatment plant, and a sea-bed crossing of the Bosporus.