Eqtisadiah business daily, the authority will award the contracts for the first phase in the third quarter of this year. GCCIA's board has already awarded a contract to survey the submarine line between the Kingdom and Bahrain to a specialized company, the paper said. The power grid is expected to boost electricity network in GCC member states. It will help them exchange electricity to meet growing needs, utilize their surplus output, save money spend on new power projects and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. The GCCIA has appointed Canada-based SNC Lavalin to prepare tender documents and tender evaluation and selection of contractors for the first phase. The GCCIA has recently approved a list of contractors who pre-qualified for Phase I of the project. SNC has already started intimating these firms. The GCC states began discussing the project some 20 years ago to integrate their transmission systems and make better use of their power-generating capacity.
