BECHTEL AWARDS SUBCONTRACTS BUT IRAQ WORK SLOWED BY STORMS.

The article reports that San Francisco, California-based firm Bechtel National Inc. has awarded its first two subcontracts under a $680-million capital construction contract received from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on April 17, 2003. The port is a top priority for relief agencies that are working to bring food and grain to the country. Bechtel and USAID officials met April 28 in Basara with Iraqi powerplant managers to determine the most efficient way to bring electric power from less-damaged southern plants to Baghdad, where damage was greater.