RIYADH: Saudi Power Procurement Co., also known as SPPC, has extended the tender closing date for the contract to develop the 3,600MW Taiba independent power project in Saudi Arabia by four months to October, MEED reported. SPPC could be considering integrating decarbonization measures into the planned gas-fired power generation plant, the first to be procured since 2016, industry sources told MEED. SPPC prequalified 10 potential lead developers in February, out of over two dozen firms that expressed interest in bidding for the contract in November. SPPC also prequalified 16 companies as eligible to bid as part of a consortium. The prequalified lead developers that can bid for the contract include Saudi Acwa Power, Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. known as Taqa, UAE’s Kahrabel and Qatar’s Nebras Power. Prequalified lead developers also include France’s EDF, US General Electric, Japan’s Jera, the Kansai Electric Power Co. and Marubeni Corporation and Korea Electric Power Corporation. The UAE-headquartered Cranmore Partners is the client’s financial adviser for the project.