SHANA - Construction of Iran's West Karoon Power Plant and its offsite facilities has made over 50% progress, operator of the project said.

Mehdi Najarian said the first gas unit of the project will come on-stream by April 2018.

Being developed by the MAPNA Group, the project has been ordered by the Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC).

It consists of one combined-cycle block including ?two gas units and one steam unit with a nominal capacity of ?about 500 MW.

The offsite facilities include gas and water ?supply to the power plant, and construction of 230 KV ?transmission lines and substation.?

Located, ?35 Kilometer off Southwest of the southwestern city of Ahwaz, the project has been awarded to MAPNA by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) under a BOO (build, own, operate) contract.

MAPNA Group is a group of Iranian companies involved in development and execution of thermal and renewable power plants, oil & gas, railway transportation and other industrial projects as well as manufacturing main equipment including gas and steam turbines, electrical generator, turbine blade and vane, HRSG and conventional boilers, electric and control systems, gas compressor, locomotive and other pertinent equipment.