The Qatar Electricity and Water Authority (Kahramaa) has chosen South Korean contractor Samsung C&T Construction to build a $3.7bn combined power and desalination plant near Doha, Business Korea reports.

When completed in 2029, the gas-fired facility will produce 2.4GW of electricity and 500,000 tonnes of potable water a day. This will meet about 16% of Qatar’s electricity and water needs.

Samsung will act as the EPC contractor, a role that will be worth $2.8bn.

The plant will be located in the Ras Abu Fontas area, 18km southeast of Doha. It will be operated by a consortium led by Tokyo-based Sumitomo and Shikoku Electric Power along with Korea Southern Power and Korea Overseas Infrastructure.

Kahramaa has signed a 25-year purchase agreement for both the power and the water output of the plant.

Sumitomo said the new plant will employ high-efficiency gas turbines that consume less gas and emit lower levels of carbon than a conventional plant.

Samsung C&T has already completed a similar desalination and power plant close to the new project.