JEDDAH, 17 August 2005 — The Saudi private sector was disappointed at the decision by the GCC power Grid committee to prevent Saudi and Gulf companies from competing for this project. The project will be confined exclusively to international companies specialized in this field. The reason was that Saudi and Gulf companies could not carry out high-tech projects because it requires great experience. Such experience is not available in national contractors and contractors from gulf countries.
Saleh Al-Awaji, council president of the GCC Power Grid Committee, said that the committee decided not to allow Saudi and Gulf companies to compete for the project in its three stages: The oscillation transformation station stage; sea cable stage and the main contract center stage. As for the fourth stage for the project, which is high voltage lines, a number of national contractors were trained to carry out this project. Dr. Al-Awaji expects that national contractors will get the bigger share of the civil, installation and construction work.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisi, director general of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry, demanded on behalf of Saudi construction agencies in the GCC Power Grid committee a review of the decision to ban Saudi and Gulf companies from competing for this project.