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Abu Dhabi: TotalFinaElf announced that the Taweelah A1 power and desalination plant had been commissioned – on schedule and on budget.

The plant, which is Abu Dhabi’s first brownfield IWPP, is owned by Gulf Total Tractebel Power Company (GTTPC), a project company in which TotalFinaElf holds a 20% stake. The two other GTTPC shareholders are Tractebel, with 20%, and the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), with 60%. Taweelah A1 has a power capacity of 1,431MW and a water capacity of 84.8MIGD.

Dubai: Italy’s Fisia Italimpianti won a $290 million contract for the desalination package at the Jebel Ali L power and desalination plant. The client for the 650-700MW and 70MIGD plant is the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). Fisia Italimpianti is undertaking its contract within the framework of a consortium linking all four main contractors for the estimated $750 million scheme. The power island will be undertaken by a team headed by Japan’s Toshiba. France’s Alstom T&D will establish a 400kV substation while the local Emirates Trading Agency (ETA) will supply and install a 400kV transmission line. The consultant for the first phase of Jebel Ali L is Germany’s Lahmeyer International. The station is scheduled for commissioning in 2005.

Vietnam: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) indicated that it was not comfortable with Ho Chi Minh City’s decision to seek new bids solely from Vietnamese companies for the Thu Duc water treatment BOT. The Ho Chi Minh City authorities decided on the move following Ondeo’s decision to terminate its contract to build a 300,000m3/d WTP at Thu Duc earlier this year (see GWI, Vol. 4, Issue 3, p.11). ADB said restricting the bidding to local firms would restrict the level of competitiveness.

Ecuador: Water utility Empresa Metropolitana de Alcantarillado y Agua Potable (Emaap) said it was about to select companies to undertake three contracts worth $11.3 million linked to an environmental
project. The project sponsor is the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). The first contract for $3 million is for the construction of three water distribution networks, while the second of $4.6 million entails setting up distribution systems for southern Calderon. The final contract, worth $3.7 million, is for the installation of distribution facilities in the northern districts of the capital Quito.

UK: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) awarded the contract for Package A of Project Aquatrine to Brey Utilities. The Brey consortium is comprised of Yorkshire Water (45%), Earth Tech (45%) and Kellogg Brown and Root (10%). Under the terms of the 25-year contract, Brey Utilities will provide water and wastewater services to over 1,000 MOD sites in the midlands and southwest of England, and in Wales. The value of Package A is in the range of £1 billion (see tracker, p.30).

Bahrain: Four of the eight bidders for the consultancy mandate for the proposed restructuring of Bahrain’s power and water sectors were shortlisted. The four are PricewaterhouseCoopers, with HSBC and Clifford Chance; BNP Paribas, with Fichtner and Norton Rose; Ernst & Young; and McKinsey & Company. The first two were the lowest bidders. The next step will be a series of meetings to discuss details although it is unclear when the mandate will be awarded. Bahrain plans a three-stage reform of its power and water sectors. Key elements will be a full review leading to recommendations for liberalisation; publication of a national water and power plan; a review of the existing legal framework and recommendations on the establishment of an independent regulator. The successful consultant will also provide advice on future power and water schemes.

France: The joint intermunicipal authorities of Epernay-Pays de Champagne awarded a €25 million contract for a new WwTP to OTV France, a subsidiary of Veolia Water. The plant will have a design capacity of up to 150,000 population equivalent and will treat both domestic and winemaking effluent. In an agreement with the municipal authorities and the winemaking community, the plant will be designed
to treat seasonal peaks linked to harvesting and wine tank washing periods. Construction is expected to take three years.

Hong Kong: CH2M Hill was selected by the Water Supplies Department (WSD) to design, oversee operations, and monitor the performance of two seawater desalination pilot plants. The 30-month pilot project, which will evaluate the use of RO technology and associated pre- and post-treatment processes, is part of a government water management programme and is a major step in the development of full-scale desalination facilities. CH2M Hill was one of five consultants to submit proposals for the project.

Mexico: Water services company Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana (Cespt) said that 14 national companies were taking part in a project to replace the wastewater network in Tijuana in the state of Baja California Norte at a cost of around $40 million. The project will cut the volume of effluent reaching the Tijuana river and is being funded by the North American Development Bank (NADB). Cespt – one of Mexico’s best run public water utilities – is contributing $11 million to the overall cost.