By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, May 24 -- AES Corp., Arlington, Va., said Thursday it won a $720 million contract for the Ras Laffan combined-cycle cogeneration power and water desalination project in Qatar.
AES will operate the 750-Mw gas-fired, and 40 million imperial gal water plant and own 55%. The remaining interest will be held by Qatar Petroleum Corp., the Qatar Electric and Water Co., and Gulf Cooperation Council-owned Gulf Investment Corp.
The transaction remains subject to government approvals.
Electricity from the plant will be bought by state-owned electric and water distribution organization, Kahramma, under a long-term power and water purchase agreement. Qatar Petroleum will supply gas to the power plant and will build a facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City for seawater supply.
AES will enter into a fixed price, turnkey contract with a consortium of ENEL Power and Fisia Italimpianti, both Italian companies, to build the power and desalination facility. AES expects the power plant to be operational by May 2004, with partial electric deliveries available by March 2003.