07 December 2011
MUSCAT -- Major international utilities are among 16 firms seeking prequalification to participate in a competitive tender for a licence to develop an Independent Water Project (IWP) at Ghubrah in Muscat Governorate.
The list includes well-known heavyweights such as Marubeni Corporation, Veolia, Degremont Middle East, Sumitomo Corporation and Sempcorb Utilities. Also vying for prequalification are Technicas Reunidas, Galfar Engineering, OHL Medio Ambiente Inima, Septech Muscat, House of Trading and Services, Sogex Oman, Mohsin Haider Darwish, Hyflux, Hydroproject Institute, International Company for Power and Water and Qamam al Arkan.
They are among a total of 50 companies that had collected Requests for Qualifications (RfQ) in a reflection of their desire to compete for the prestigious licence. RfQ submissions were opened at the Tender Board on Monday, revealing a line-up of 16 local, regional and international contenders in the fray so far.
The state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which has the mandate under the Sector Law to procure all new power and related water capacity on a competitive basis, is overseeing the procurement of the Ghubrah IWP on behalf of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).
The successful bidder will win a licence to develop, own, finance and operate a gas-fired, water-only project sized at 42 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD), equivalent to 191,000 cubic metres per day. It is the second IWP to be developed in the Sultanate after the successful launch of the country's first IWP at Sur in 2007.
Development of the IWP will be accelerated with a view to ensuring that potable water from the plant becomes available by the year 2013. To meet this target, as well as to ensure continuity of water supply from the Ghubrah site, the project will be implemented in phases.
Phase 1, with a capacity of 30 MIGD, is proposed to come into operation by May 2013, with the balance capacity of 12 MIGD, targeted to be operationalised in Phase 2 by April 2014. Water from the Ghubrah IWP will be purchased by OPWP under a long-term Water Purchase Agreement.
In keeping with the fast-track nature of the competitive process, a Request for Proposals is expected to be issued before the end of this month even before the completion of the evaluation of the prequalification offers, it is learnt.
The new Ghubrah IWP, estimated to cost $350-400 million, will come up at the site of the existing Al Ghubrah Power Generation and Water Desalination Plant in Muscat Governorate.
The latter facility, built in phases over many years, is itself planned to be decommissioned in line with OPWP's seven-year planning process, as well as for environmental considerations.
Growth in potable water demand is projected at around 13 per cent annually over the 2010-2016 time frame, according to the latest Outlook Statement issued by OPWP. In the Muscat Zone, an area served by the Ghubrah and Barka desalination plants, water demand is anticipated to soar to 563,000 cubic metres per day.
Well-known professional services firm KPMG is advising OPWP on the procurement of the Ghubrah IWP.
MUSCAT -- Major international utilities are among 16 firms seeking prequalification to participate in a competitive tender for a licence to develop an Independent Water Project (IWP) at Ghubrah in Muscat Governorate.
The list includes well-known heavyweights such as Marubeni Corporation, Veolia, Degremont Middle East, Sumitomo Corporation and Sempcorb Utilities. Also vying for prequalification are Technicas Reunidas, Galfar Engineering, OHL Medio Ambiente Inima, Septech Muscat, House of Trading and Services, Sogex Oman, Mohsin Haider Darwish, Hyflux, Hydroproject Institute, International Company for Power and Water and Qamam al Arkan.
They are among a total of 50 companies that had collected Requests for Qualifications (RfQ) in a reflection of their desire to compete for the prestigious licence. RfQ submissions were opened at the Tender Board on Monday, revealing a line-up of 16 local, regional and international contenders in the fray so far.
The state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), which has the mandate under the Sector Law to procure all new power and related water capacity on a competitive basis, is overseeing the procurement of the Ghubrah IWP on behalf of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).
The successful bidder will win a licence to develop, own, finance and operate a gas-fired, water-only project sized at 42 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD), equivalent to 191,000 cubic metres per day. It is the second IWP to be developed in the Sultanate after the successful launch of the country's first IWP at Sur in 2007.
Development of the IWP will be accelerated with a view to ensuring that potable water from the plant becomes available by the year 2013. To meet this target, as well as to ensure continuity of water supply from the Ghubrah site, the project will be implemented in phases.
Phase 1, with a capacity of 30 MIGD, is proposed to come into operation by May 2013, with the balance capacity of 12 MIGD, targeted to be operationalised in Phase 2 by April 2014. Water from the Ghubrah IWP will be purchased by OPWP under a long-term Water Purchase Agreement.
In keeping with the fast-track nature of the competitive process, a Request for Proposals is expected to be issued before the end of this month even before the completion of the evaluation of the prequalification offers, it is learnt.
The new Ghubrah IWP, estimated to cost $350-400 million, will come up at the site of the existing Al Ghubrah Power Generation and Water Desalination Plant in Muscat Governorate.
The latter facility, built in phases over many years, is itself planned to be decommissioned in line with OPWP's seven-year planning process, as well as for environmental considerations.
Growth in potable water demand is projected at around 13 per cent annually over the 2010-2016 time frame, according to the latest Outlook Statement issued by OPWP. In the Muscat Zone, an area served by the Ghubrah and Barka desalination plants, water demand is anticipated to soar to 563,000 cubic metres per day.
Well-known professional services firm KPMG is advising OPWP on the procurement of the Ghubrah IWP.
© Oman Daily Observer 2011
