SAUDI-based Acwa Power International has said its Omani unit has won a major contract from Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) for the expansion of its water desalination facility in the sultanate’s Barka area.

A leading developer, owner and operator of independent water and power projects, Acwa said the project aims to boost water capacity by 45,460 cu m per day.

Acwa said the OPWP granted a ‘Letter of Award’ to its Omani subsidiary Acwa Power Barka in this regard.

The expansion project is an independent water project to be developed on a BOO (Build, Own, Operate) basis and will be located at Barka, 65 km north of Omani capital Muscat.

Construction work will begin by the end of the third quarter of 2012.  Water production is aimed to begin in the fourth quarter of next year.

The project will be constructed adjacent to Acwa Power Barka’s existing plant and will benefit from its synergies, said Nomac Oman, a subsidiary of Acwa Power and the operation and maintenance (O&M) provider for the plant.

The additional water capacity produced by the expansion project will help in meeting the projected shortfall of the sultanate’s water desalination production capacity, it added.