A consortium including Japan's Mitsui & Company, Saudi Arabia's Acwa Power and Dhofar International Development & Investment Holding has achieved a major milestone in the constuction of two big natural gas-fired power projects in Oman, with the completion of civil work at both project sites, said a report.

The Sohar 3 and Ibri independent power projects (IPPs) will have a combined capacity of 3,219 megawatt (MW).

After completing the civil work at both project sites, the turnkey EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) contractor, Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation III (Sepco III), hoisted two gas turbines at Ibri last month, reported the Times of Oman.

The Ibri IPP will deliver early power of 940 MW from April 2018, with the full 1,509 MW generation expected from April 2019,  while Sohar 3 is scheduled to deliver full capacity of 1,710 MW from January 2019, stated the report.

The Mitsui-led consortium has tight deadlines to complete these two projects as Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) is trying to generate power within two years, it added.