Kuwait plans to conduct its first initial public offering of Az-Zour North Independent Water & Power Project, an independent power project, by the end of this year, selling a 50% stake, Oil Minister Essam al-Marzouq said on Monday. Marzouq was speaking at a briefing by the government on its long-term economic plans. The government had previously said it was planning to sell shares in the Az-Zour North Project to the public in mid-2017. The Az-Zour North One plant has a capacity of at least 1,500 megawatts and is structured as a public-private partnership. The project is 40% owned by three partners: France’s Engie, Japan’s Sumitomo Corp and Kuwaiti firm AH Al Sagar & Brothers. Sovereign wealth fund Kuwait Investment Authority, the Public Institution for Social Security, and PPP body Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects together hold 60%. An IPO was a condition for the project once construction was finished. (Arabian Business)