The AES Corporation has announced that AES Barka has been awarded the Barka Power and Desalination Project (Phase I) in Oman. The natural gas-fired, combined-cycle, USD 425 million facility is expected to supply 427 MW (net) of electricity and 20 million gallons per day (mgd) of water. Natural gas will be supplied by the Oman Ministry of Gas under a 15-year contract. Electric power and water will be sold to Ministry of Electricity and Water under a 15-year contract. Construction is scheduled top start in April 2001. AES will own 90% of the project company and also operate the plants. Bahwan group, a leading local business, will hold the remaining 10%. The facility will be constructed for AES at a site near the town of Barka (30 km from Seeb International Airport) by Enelpower of Italy and Hitachi Zosen of Japan under a turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. The plant is expected to achieve commercial operations in April 2003.
