19 November 2012
MUSCAT -- ACWA Power Barka, the leading IWPP leader in the region, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its water expansion project in Barka under the auspices of Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Chairman of Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).
A number of dignitaries from various ministries, company officials and guests attended the ceremony.
The project is part of the expansion plans of ACWA Power and once ready the expansion plant will produce 10 MIGD (million imperial gallons per day) of potable water.
This Independent Water Project (IWP) will be developed on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis adjacent to ACWA Power Barka's existing plant. The existing desalination facility has been producing 20 MIGD of potable water since 2003 and the new plant is expected to catapult the production levels to 30 MIGD.
The additional desalinated water capacity produced by the expansion project comes as a respite as it will help reduce the projected shortfall of the Sultanate's water production capacity.
Commenting on the occasion, Mohammad bin Abdullah Abunayyan, Chairman, ACWA Power Barka said, "The expansion project comes at an opportune time as the demand for potable water in Oman is putting pressure on the existing capacities. The additional water production will help match the demand that is estimated to be rising at 8 per cent per annum. The projected shortfall in the water desalination production capacity of the Sultanate will surely be augmented with the help of this new project."
The new plant will be the first of its kind and will reuse seawater heat-rejection from the existing desalination process for potable water capacity addition.
Nadeem Rizvi, CEO of ACWA Power Barka, reaffirmed the commitment of ACWA Power Barka to the power and water sector in Oman in his comments, by saying, "We are proud to undertake a project which will give us a chance to demonstrate our commitment to the Sultanate by contributing to the longevity of potable water supply."
Continuing further, he said, "In the medium to long-term, this expansion project will prove to be a well-sought solution to balance shortfalls of current desalinated water production capacity in the Sultanate. We will continue to play a larger role in the water and power sector in Oman with innovative solutions that create value."
Salient features of the project:
n First of its kind to reuse of seawater heat-rejection from the existing desalination process for potable water capacity addition.
n Project implementation in the shortest time for similar-size projects (13.5 months from contract execution).
n Synergies with the existing Barka 1 power and desalination facility - shared power and seawater feed usage and brine discharge, utilisation of O&M team expertise, as well as warehouse, workshop, laboratory, security, and so on.
n Guaranteed plant availability of 95 per cent throughout the life of the plant.
Technical highlights:
n Application of state-of-the-art ultrafiltration membrane technology as pre-treatment for the water desalination process for the first time in Oman.
n Use of thin-film composite (TFC) seawater membranes in the 3 Reverse Osmosis trains, producing a total of 10 MIGD of desalinated water that meets strict quality and environmental requirements.
n Use of latest energy recovery and variable-frequency drive (VFD) technologies for minimising high-pressure pump and overall plant energy consumption. ACWA Power International is a lead developer, owner and operator of independent water and power projects structured on a concession or utility outsourcing contract model. ACWA Power is incorporated in Saudi Arabia with a paid up capital base in excess of $1 billion.
The company holds equity ownership in a portfolio of contracted assets comprising 12,000 MW of power generation plants and 2.3 million m3/day of desalinated water production plants. ACWA Power employs more than 2,300 people and has a combined investment value of over $15.2 billion.
MUSCAT -- ACWA Power Barka, the leading IWPP leader in the region, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its water expansion project in Barka under the auspices of Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Chairman of Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).
A number of dignitaries from various ministries, company officials and guests attended the ceremony.
The project is part of the expansion plans of ACWA Power and once ready the expansion plant will produce 10 MIGD (million imperial gallons per day) of potable water.
This Independent Water Project (IWP) will be developed on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis adjacent to ACWA Power Barka's existing plant. The existing desalination facility has been producing 20 MIGD of potable water since 2003 and the new plant is expected to catapult the production levels to 30 MIGD.
The additional desalinated water capacity produced by the expansion project comes as a respite as it will help reduce the projected shortfall of the Sultanate's water production capacity.
Commenting on the occasion, Mohammad bin Abdullah Abunayyan, Chairman, ACWA Power Barka said, "The expansion project comes at an opportune time as the demand for potable water in Oman is putting pressure on the existing capacities. The additional water production will help match the demand that is estimated to be rising at 8 per cent per annum. The projected shortfall in the water desalination production capacity of the Sultanate will surely be augmented with the help of this new project."
The new plant will be the first of its kind and will reuse seawater heat-rejection from the existing desalination process for potable water capacity addition.
Nadeem Rizvi, CEO of ACWA Power Barka, reaffirmed the commitment of ACWA Power Barka to the power and water sector in Oman in his comments, by saying, "We are proud to undertake a project which will give us a chance to demonstrate our commitment to the Sultanate by contributing to the longevity of potable water supply."
Continuing further, he said, "In the medium to long-term, this expansion project will prove to be a well-sought solution to balance shortfalls of current desalinated water production capacity in the Sultanate. We will continue to play a larger role in the water and power sector in Oman with innovative solutions that create value."
Salient features of the project:
n First of its kind to reuse of seawater heat-rejection from the existing desalination process for potable water capacity addition.
n Project implementation in the shortest time for similar-size projects (13.5 months from contract execution).
n Synergies with the existing Barka 1 power and desalination facility - shared power and seawater feed usage and brine discharge, utilisation of O&M team expertise, as well as warehouse, workshop, laboratory, security, and so on.
n Guaranteed plant availability of 95 per cent throughout the life of the plant.
Technical highlights:
n Application of state-of-the-art ultrafiltration membrane technology as pre-treatment for the water desalination process for the first time in Oman.
n Use of thin-film composite (TFC) seawater membranes in the 3 Reverse Osmosis trains, producing a total of 10 MIGD of desalinated water that meets strict quality and environmental requirements.
n Use of latest energy recovery and variable-frequency drive (VFD) technologies for minimising high-pressure pump and overall plant energy consumption. ACWA Power International is a lead developer, owner and operator of independent water and power projects structured on a concession or utility outsourcing contract model. ACWA Power is incorporated in Saudi Arabia with a paid up capital base in excess of $1 billion.
The company holds equity ownership in a portfolio of contracted assets comprising 12,000 MW of power generation plants and 2.3 million m3/day of desalinated water production plants. ACWA Power employs more than 2,300 people and has a combined investment value of over $15.2 billion.
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
