Washington-Led Consortium Receives Contract for Engineering and Design of Dam and Hydroelectric Plant in Turkey.

Business Editors

BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2001

Washington Group International announced today that a Washington Group-led consortium has received a contract from the Turkish State Hydraulic Works to provide geotechnical exploration, engineering and design for the $6.9 million Phase I of the Hakkari dam and hydroelectric power plant in Turkey.

The project, which will have a total estimated cost of $600 million, will be built on the Zap River in the Southeast Anatolia region of Turkey.

The contract was signed by Zeki Cakan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, and representatives of the consortium in a ceremony that was shown on Turkish television.

"We are pleased to have this opportunity to help the Republic of Turkey advance the Hakkari Project, and to renew our longstanding commitment to support development of the country's water resources," said G. M. "Pat" Stricklin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Washington Infrastructure operating unit.

The Hakkari project includes a 170-meter-high rockfill dam, an 11-kilometer tunnel, and a 208-megawatt hydroelectric power station. The project will provide low-cost, reliable power to southeastern Turkey.

The Washington Group-led consortium includes equipment supplier Alstom Power, Turkish engineering firm DOLSAR, and Turkish constructor KiSKA. The consortium will also be responsible for the construction phase of the project under a separate contract to be awarded following completion of Phase I in mid 2002.

U.S. and Turkish officials signed the initial contract for the Hakkari project on November 16, 1999. The project was awarded under the umbrella of the American-Turkish Joint Statement signed by U.S. and Turkish officials in February 1998.

All four members of the Hakkari consortium have prior experience in design and construction of dams and hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. Washington Group designed and constructed the 620-megawatt Keban Hydroelectric Project (later expanded to 1,240 megawatts) in eastern Turkey and designed the 300-megawatt Gokcekaya Project on the Sakarya River.

Washington Group International, Inc., is a leading international engineering and construction firm. With more than 30,000 employees at work in 43 states and more than 35 countries, the company offers a full life-cycle of services as a preferred provider of premier science, engineering, construction, program management, and development in 14 major markets.

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