The Project was awarded to the promoters, comprising GDF SUEZ, National Trading Company, SOGEX Oman, Ministry of Defense Pension Fund, W.J. Towell & Co and The Zubair Corporation, by the Government following a competitive bidding process. The promoters formed Sohar Power Company SAOC for the purposes of entering into the project agreements and undertaking the Project.

Sohar Power has been established under a Build-Own-Operate scheme. The BOO concept enables the Company to operate as a going concern beyond the project horizon of 15 years by either extending the PWPA (if agreed to by OPWP) or selling into a liberalized electricity market which may exist at that time. The anticipated useful life of the Plant is 30 years.

The 585 MW combined cycle gas fired power plant and 150,000 m3/d desalination plant is located in the Sohar Industrial Port area in the North Al Batinah Governorate of the Sultanate of Oman. The site is strategically located near the main gas transmission system and electricity grid network.

The power section of the plant uses three Siemens SGT5-2000E gas turbines (formerly known as V94.2) driving three electrical generators, each fitted with Heat Recovery Steam Generators (“HRSG”), which utilize the exhaust heat of the gas turbines. The steam and this exhaust gas are supplied to one condensing steam turbine to complete the combined cycle. The steam turbine manufacturer is Alstom, one of the world leading suppliers of steam turbine technology. The balance of the steam produced from the HRSGs is supplied to the desalination plant. The HRSGs are dual pressure natural circulation with a horizontal gas flow. The manufacturer of HRSGs is Doosan Heavy Industries (“DHI”).

Four conventional Multi Stage Flash (“MSF”) desalination units are installed in the Plant. Each unit is designed to generate a net output of 37,500m3/d at design conditions. The manufacturer is DHI, which is one of the most experienced suppliers of MSF type desalination units. Each unit has 17 heat recovery stages and 3 heat rejection stages. The seawater intake and outfall are part of the Sohar Industrial Port area common facilities and are owned by the Government of Oman and operated by Majis Industrial Supply Co. (“MISC”). The potable water is exported through a connection at the site boundary to OPWP potable water network.