Syria’s Ministry of Energy has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) for the development of the Halabiyeh-Zalabiyeh dam project on the Euphrates River.

The project has an indicative total cost of $1.16bn, according to the ministry’s EoI document. This includes $433.7m for the dam and hydropower plant and $729.6m for the pumped-storage power plant (PSP).

The scheme includes an 81MW hydroelectric power plant and a pumped-storage facility with a capacity of up to 1,200MW. The project will also include the construction of the dam and associated water-storage infrastructure.

The ministry seeks interest from qualified local and international companies, investors and other entities. Interested parties can participate in studies, design, financing, construction, and operation and maintenance of the project.

The ministry is considering several potential development structures, including build-own-operate-transfer, build-operate-transfer and public-private partnership models, as well as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) structure. It has said it is also open to proposals covering consultancy and financing services.

The EoI covers several stages, including pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, financing and bankability studies, detailed and executive design, EPC execution, and operation and maintenance.

The technical specifications envisage a 23-metre-high dam with a reservoir storage capacity of about 219 million cubic metres.

The hydropower plant will have three generating units, while the 1,200MW PSP will have 3.5 hours of storage capacity and four reversible units.

The deadline for submitting EoIs is 10 November, with enquiries accepted until 26 October.