Indian firms plan Oman bid

India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bharat Heavy Electrical (Bhel) plan to form a consortium to bid for Oman's US$ 1-billion power and water desalination project to be built in the industrial city of Sohar.

NTPC and Bhel would also include an Omani company in the consortium to help with their bid. The Oman Tender Board invited bids on November 3 for the integrated project involving a desalination plant to produce 30 million gallons per day of water and a 480- megawatt power plant. Specialised companies, including major power firms from Britain, Japan, and the UA have up to March 2004 to submit their proposals. Successful bidders are expected to be awarded a fifteen-year deal to build, own and manage the proposed project.