5 July 2010 - International firms are eyeing a $2bn contract to build Oman's first coal-fired electricity generation plant, an official at the Public Authority for Electricity and Water said last week.

The government has appointed Worley Parsons and KPMG as technical and financial advisors for the 1000 MW power station project which will be built at Duqm in central Oman, Arabian Business wrote. "The foreign firms showing interest prior to the tender announcement are Larsen & Toubro, Sembcorp and Marubeni Corporation," the official said.

The tender is expected in the third quarter of this year, he added. Last year, Oman said it would privatize existing power stations and invest about $8bn in new power projects to diversify away from its oil-based economy.

Oman is developing five projects aimed to boost electricity generation, demands on which are increasing about 15 percent annually.