A U.S.-Turkish consortium has been awarded a contract by State Hydraulic Works of Turkey for the design phase of Alpaslan II Dam and Hydroelectric Power Plant Project. The value of the design phase contract is $6.98 million. The consortium will negotiate another contract for the construction phase of the project, which is estimated to cost $500 million. This project is one of nine hydroelectric projects included in the 1998 US-Turkey Energy Protocol initiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. It is located in Eastern Turkey on a tributary to the Euphrates River, approximately 30 km north of the city of Mus, and will provide 200 MW of power, while serving as a source of irrigation for more than 70,000 hectares. The members of the consortium led by Kaiser Engineers and Constructors, Inc. are Harza, ABB and Alpaslan II Construction Joint Venture (í–zí½í¾í½k íní¾aat ve Taahhüt; Yapí½ Merkezi íní¾aat ve Sanayi; Ekinciler ve Ortaklarí½ íní¾aat ve Ticaret Ltd; Su-Yapí½ Engineering and Consulting Inc.). General Electric, Voith Hydro Power Generation, and Duke Engineering and Services will also participate as subcontractors. Visit www.yapi-merkezi.com and www.kaiserengineers.com May 2000.Two power tunnels, lengths 700 m and 750 m and diameters 5.5 m and 7.9 m, and two 8 m-diameter diversion tunnels, 870 m and 930 m long required, starting 2003. Under design for drill/blast in claystone with rockbolts, shotcrete and steel arches by Alpaslan consortium which includes Kaiser, Harza, ABB, Su Yapi with a jv of Ozisik, Yapi Merkezi and Ekinciler. Contact at www.harza.com October 2000.