Iran’s state-owned Mahab Qods Consulting Engineers has selected contractors for the Ostour and Mollasadra hydro dam projects.

A consortium comprising the Swiss consultant electrowatt Engineering Services and the local Tablieh and Farab companies is in line for the 165MW Ostour dam scheme, on the Sefid Rud river near Miyaneh. The consortium offered the lowest bid of US$150M.

In line for the contract to build the 100MW Mollasadra scheme on the river Tang-e Boragh in Fars province, is a consortium comprising an unidentified Chinese company and the local Melli Sakhteman, a subsidiary of the Bonyad Mostazafin & Janbazin (foundation for the deprived and war disabled). The group was the lowest bidder for the work, at US$76M.

Meanwhile, a scheme to bore the 64km Kerman water transfer tunnel has been postponed. This scheme was originally tendered at the same time as the dams, in early 1999.