MUSCAT -- Mohammed bin Abdullah al Mahrouqi, Chairman, Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW), yesterday opened a three-day international exhibition on Oman's water, electricity and power sectors at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. Oman Establishment for Press, Publishing and Advertising (OEPPA), publishers of the Observer and its sister Arabic daily Oman, is the media sponsor of the exhibition.
The Sultanate's government is establishing new projects for the expansion of existing water desalination plants by the addition of a production capacity of 1,490 megawatts. The move aims at enhancing the production of desalinated water to meet the rising demand. The expansion comes as part of Barka-3 and Sohar-2 projects, said, Mahrouqi.
Al Mahrouqi said the Muscat International Water, Electricity and Power Sustainable Exhibition-2012 (WEPEX) is important in that it is showcasing cutting-edge technology in the field of water, electricity and power. He said the Sultanate is witnessing growing demand for electrical energy, which ranges annually between 7 to 9 per cent and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. He added that the greatest demand is from the household sector as a result of the economic growth in the country.
The industrial and commercial sector will witness a greater demand for power to meet the needs of service and productive projects. He said the demand for fresh water has risen over the past years as a result of growth in population and improvement in the standard of living. The exhibition assumes special significance in view of the new power, water and energy projects worth $180 billion which are currently under way in the Middle East, said Galal M Raskhan, General Manager, Al Irtehal Exhibition Organisers and Managements.
The ceremony, organised by Al Irtehal, in association with the PAEW, was attended by a large number of officials, diplomats, technology experts and media people. In the next two days the expo will be a big draw for visitors of varied backgrounds. Galal said more than 110 agencies and 45 firms are showcasing their solutions and products in the field of energy and water. Significantly, Oman has set aside $2.9 billion for 13 new power, water and energy projects which are being launched this year.
WEPEX-2012 holds out immense opportunities for manufacturers and service providers in the vital and varied economic sectors covered by the three-day exhibition, said Galal. Al Mahrouqi said, "Wepex 2012 is important because electricity and energy sectors play a major role in the economic and social development process and corresponding to the progresses being witnessed in the Sultanate with reference to the expansion, prospecting and exploration of oil and gas, accompanied with the petrochemical industries."
The exhibition has brought together government officials, institutional investors, financiers and developers to explore investment and development opportunities in Oman. Galal said WEPEX-2012 is being organised at a time when Oman's economic position in the region stands out as unique. The country has continued the tempo of its investment in mega infrastructure and construction projects. This has helped the country tide over the adverse effects of the global economic meltdown since 2008.
Oman also continues to go ahead with it plans to privatise existing power stations and invest billions of rials in new projects in a bid to boost the economy and narrow the budget deficit as demand for electricity grows. As a result, there are plenty of investment opportunities available in sectors such as energy, water, industry, tourism, health and IT. Besides presenting state-of-the-art technologies and their applications in the three fields, there will be seminars and workshops on the sidelines of the exhibition.
The PAEW is looking to invest heavily in new projects as well as to expand existing ones to meet increase in the demand for water and energy. Galal said, "Wepex 2012 demonstrates how to make the best use of the renewable energy, thanks to its merits and environment-friendly characteristics." WEPEX 2012, the first ever to focus extensively on the integration of applications in the fields of water, electricity and power, has brought together a large number of leading Omani and foreign organisations on one platform, thus offering immense networking and business deals opportunities.
It is the first international specialised exhibition that goes hand in hand with the government programmes on optimal utilisation of natural resources and usages of energy. The exhibition is also sponsored by Safeer automotive, Haya Water, Muscat Electricity Distribution Co, Majan Electricity Co, and Voltamp.
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
