Oman is planning to invite requests for proposals on the Sohar independent water and power project (IWPP) in August this year. The estimated RO20 million ($50 million) plant will have a capacity of 50 MW and 30 million gallons of water per day.

In March, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy awarded the project advisory contract to a consortium of France's Societe Generale, Germany's Fichtner, the UK's Denton Wilde & Sapte and the local Bank Muscat.

Under the plans, the consortium is expected to come up with a project blueprint by June.

The project may be implemented on an engineering, procurement and construction basis.

Depending on the offers, the government plans to offer the plant's operation to the private sector.

Oman plans to hand over three existing power plants to private companies. Two of the plants, Al Rusaiyl and Al Ghubrah, are in Muscat and have a capacity of 685 MW and 540 respectively. The third, Al Jizzi, is located in northern Oman and has a capacity of 335 MW.

Private investors have been operating the Al Manah power plant since 1996.