GDF Suez wins power, desalination project in Bahrain

GDF Suez Energy International has won the contract to build, own, and operate the Al Dur 1 power generation and seawater desalination plant, a major independent power and water project in Bahrain. This is the largest desalination plant with reverse osmosis technology in the Middle East and the company’s third major success in the region.
Al Dur 1 is a greenfield, natural gas-fired installation that will deliver 1,234 MW of electricity and 218,000 cu.m. of water/day. Completion of the plant is scheduled for 2011.
GDF Suez and Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) each hold 50% in the bidding consortium. The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) is the sole off-taker of the plant output as stipulated in the 20-year Power and Water Purchase Agreement (PWPA).
The Al Dur plant will be located in the south of Bahrain, 40 km from Al Ezzel, another power generation plant in which GDF Suez has a 45% stake. It is also a shareholder in the Al Hidd power and water plant, which delivers 938 MW of electricity and 136,000 cu.m./day of water.
Bahrain plans to develop three more power and water plants at the Al Dur site in the next 20 years. The second phase, Al Dur 2, at a similar size to the first phase is expected to be launched latest in 2009 to cope with the country's increasing energy and water needs.
In the Middle East, GDF Suez will now have a direct equity interest in over 13,000 MW and 2.5 million cu.m. of water per day consolidating its position of leading private power developer in the Gulf region.