The state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) has started inviting tenders from major companies for provision of consultancy services to the Salalah 2 Independent Power Plant.

The project, to be located in Raysut near Salalah, Oman, is being implemented on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis under the terms of a power purchase agreement with OPWP. It comprises a high efficiency gas-fired power generation plant that can deliver 445 MW of power, reported the Oman Tribune.

OPWP, which is responsible for the procurement of new power generating units and water desalination plants in the Sultanate, is looking for a company that can manage the project and provide technical consultancy services during all phases of the construction, commissioning and testing of the power facility.

The ambit of the project includes the design, construction, ownership, financing, operation and maintenance of a high efficiency facility, which will increase the present power capacity of 273MW to 600MW, the report stated.

The power plant is expected to go on stream by the first quarter of 2018, it added.