Member states of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made remarkable headway in their plan to link them with a power grid as tenders will be invited next week to implement the $1.25 billion first phase of the project. Dr. Saleh Al-Awaji, Deputy Minister for Electricity Affairs and chairman of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council's Inter-connection Authority (GCCIA), estimated the total cost of the project at over $3 billion. The authority will float 13 contracts worth $1.25 billion to link Saudi Arabia with Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar in the first phase. Awaji said some 40 companies have been invited to present their offers to carry out the project. --MORE 1101 Local Time 0801 GMT
