A license for the development of a major Independent Water Project (IWP) at Ghubra in Muscat Governorate is expected to be awarded next month.
Five consortiums led by prominent international utilities are in the fray for the license to design, construct, own, finance, operate and maintain a 42 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) capacity desalination plant based on seawater reverse osmosis (RO) technology.
The Tender Board recently evaluated offers submitted by the bidding consortiums, as well as deliberated on the recommendations of Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), the state-owned electricity and desalinated water offtaker which is overseeing the implementation of the IWP.
It is understood that the Tender Board will either announce a shortlist of 2 or 3 bidders, or simply rank the consortiums based on the overall merit of their offers. The shortlisted bidders will then be invited by OPWP for negotiations leading to the selection of a preferred bidder with whom a contract award will eventually be inked.
That process is expected to be completed over the next several weeks, with contract documents ready for signature before the end of October, it is learnt.
Competing for the prestigious licence are consortiums led by Japan-based international conglomerate Marubeni Corporation; Hyflux Ltd, a Singapore based integrated water and environmental solutions provider; Spanish based international potable water and wastewater utility Acciona Agua; Malakoff International — a subsidiary of Malaysia's largest independent power and water producer; and Grupo Cobra — a Spanish based water utility. The total cost of the project is estimated at around $400 million.
Oman Daily Observer
27 September
