In 2026 the joint venture of Heisco and VA Tech Wabag won Kuwait's Doha seawater reverse osmosis Phase 2 contract with a bid of US$373.2 million, about 31% below the next offer, Cox Water's US$538.1 million. Orascom Construction bid US$568.4 million. The contract, worth KD 114.28 million (about US$372 million), was signed in August 2026.
Four months from approval to signature
Kuwait's Central Agency for Public Tenders approved the ministry's award recommendation in April 2026, with final approval from the State Audit Bureau then pending. The contract for the 60 MIGD plant was signed four months later, and construction is scheduled to take 36 months, followed by five years of operation and maintenance.
Bigger direct awards are next
Two larger tenders are now in evaluation at the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. The upgrade of the Subiya power and water plant, which includes converting units from open-cycle to combined-cycle operation, is valued at about US$1.7 billion. A separate boiler rehabilitation contract is estimated at about US$400 million. Neither had been awarded by August 2026.
Partnership plants move more slowly
On the partnership side, two consortia bid for the 1,800 MW Al-Khairan Phase 1 plant on 1 June 2026, and no preferred bidder had been reported by November. Az-Zour North 2&3, at 2,700 MW and 120 MIGD, has had a signed 25-year agreement since 3 February 2026 but was still awaiting financial close.
Which contractors already hold the ministry's major work, how its two purchasing routes differ, and which supplier categories to prioritise are set out in the full report. The full report, Ministry of Electricity Water and Renewable Energy: Utility Account Brief, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Ministry of Electricity Water and Renewable Energy Utility Snapshot.