French engineering group Alstom has been awarded an electrical power plant contract in Iraq worth USD 550 million.

The award of the Mansuriyah plant contract to Alstom which is already taking part in Iraq projects such as the Nineveh power plant and the Baghdad metro was announced as part of a visit to Iraq by French Trade Minister Mr Pierre Lellouche.

Mr Lellouche's office said that the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister confirmed ... the award of the Mansuriyah electrical power plant contract to Alstom for a total value of USD 550 million. Oil services group Technip will also sign two agreements relating to Iraqi oil fields on Wednesday.

Iraq's power infrastructure has been badly damaged by decades of war and sanctions and 8-1/2 years after the US led invasion its national grid still only supplies a few hours of power a day.

(Sourced from Reuters)