In October 2016, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House), citing MEED, reported that Kuwait had asked two bidders into negotiations for the second phase of the Az-Zour North power and desalination scheme. This brought KAPP, Kuwait's partnerships authority, closer to awarding a contract covering design, construction, financing, operation and transfer. Three consortia had bid in June 2016, among them Marubeni with Fouad Al-Ghanim Sons, and Sumitomo, Osaka Gas and National Industries Group. Phase one, under construction since 2014, was close to completion.
The report showed Kuwait turning to private partners for power and water capacity, in line with its stated aim of acting more as regulator than operator.