01 April 2012
MUSCAT -- A new desalination project is proposed to be established in Duqm to help meet a projected surge in potable water demand linked to the planned development there of an ambitious maritime and industrial hub. According to the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), the project will be implemented by the state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company (REACO) under whose jurisdiction Duqm falls. It follows a recommendation from the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) underlining the need for a 10,000 cubic metres (m3) per day (2 million imperial gallons per day -- MIGD) desalination plant to meet water demand growth in the area projected to reach 39,000 m3/day (9 MIGD) by 2018.
The proposed desalination project at Duqm is one of several capacity enhancements -- both on the power generation and water desalination fronts -- envisaged by OPWP in its newly released 7-Year statement (2012 -- 2018) providing an outlook for power and water supply in the Main Interconnected System (MIS) serving north Oman and the Salalah System.
Duqm is currently served by a 6,000 m3/day capacity desalination plant which came into operation last year. But demand is expected to outstrip this capacity in trend with the government's plans to attract billions of dollars in industrial and commercial investment into the area. Any shortfalls in water supply capacity will be met by PAEW through temporary arrangements, it is learnt.
Anticipating a corresponding rise in electricity demand, OPWP is also undertaking a comparative evaluation of several strategic options involving the development of a power plant in Duqm with or without an interconnection with the Main Interconnected System (MIS). The area is currently served by a 67 MW diesel powered plant, but demand is expected to rise to 75 -- 100 MW by 2018, says the offtaker.
As part of its study, OPWP will also investigate the feasibility of incorporating outlying localities, as well as towns like Shuwaymiyah, Mahut and Haima, into the network served by the proposed power plant at Duqm.
Meanwhile, peak electricity demand in the MIS -- an area covering the governorates of Musandam, Muscat, Batinah North, Batinah South, Dakhiliyah, Sharqiyah North and Sharqiyah South -- is expected to grow at the rate of 8 per cent annually from 3,845 MW in 2011 to 6,582 MW in 2018. In the high-case scenario, demand growth is projected at 11 per cent annually, taking the projected capacity requirements to 8,089 MW in 2018.
While new Independent Power Projects (IPPs) under construction at Sur, Barka (Phase III) and Sohar (Phase II) will contribute 3,490 MW of the expected capacity requirements, the balance will be met through extensions of Power Purchase Agreements concluded with existing plants. These extensions could provide up to 1,432 MW of power generation capacity over the 2012-2018 timeframe, according to the offtaker.
Furthermore, subject to a firm government go-ahead, OPWP also hopes to procure around 200 MW of new capacity through the development of solar power projects. A competitive process is likely to be initiated this year if the project receives the government's green-light.
On the water desalination front, aggregate water demand (excluding Salalah) is projected to grow annually by 5 per cent from 196 million m3 to 269 million m3 in 2018. Part of this capacity growth will be met through the establishment of a new Independent Water Project at (IWP) at Ghubrah. The 191,000 m3/day capacity plant will come into operation in 2014.
Another 405,000 m3/day (89 MIGD) of water desalination capacity is proposed to be established through the procurement of IWPs at Suwaiq and Qurayat. Further, any balance shortfall in projected capacity requirements will be met through extensions in water purchase agreements covering output from Barka 1 and the existing units at Ghubrah. ACWA Power, which operates the Barka 1 facility, has also proposed to boost output by 45,000 m3/day (10 MIGD).
MUSCAT -- A new desalination project is proposed to be established in Duqm to help meet a projected surge in potable water demand linked to the planned development there of an ambitious maritime and industrial hub. According to the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), the project will be implemented by the state-owned Rural Areas Electricity Company (REACO) under whose jurisdiction Duqm falls. It follows a recommendation from the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) underlining the need for a 10,000 cubic metres (m3) per day (2 million imperial gallons per day -- MIGD) desalination plant to meet water demand growth in the area projected to reach 39,000 m3/day (9 MIGD) by 2018.
The proposed desalination project at Duqm is one of several capacity enhancements -- both on the power generation and water desalination fronts -- envisaged by OPWP in its newly released 7-Year statement (2012 -- 2018) providing an outlook for power and water supply in the Main Interconnected System (MIS) serving north Oman and the Salalah System.
Duqm is currently served by a 6,000 m3/day capacity desalination plant which came into operation last year. But demand is expected to outstrip this capacity in trend with the government's plans to attract billions of dollars in industrial and commercial investment into the area. Any shortfalls in water supply capacity will be met by PAEW through temporary arrangements, it is learnt.
Anticipating a corresponding rise in electricity demand, OPWP is also undertaking a comparative evaluation of several strategic options involving the development of a power plant in Duqm with or without an interconnection with the Main Interconnected System (MIS). The area is currently served by a 67 MW diesel powered plant, but demand is expected to rise to 75 -- 100 MW by 2018, says the offtaker.
As part of its study, OPWP will also investigate the feasibility of incorporating outlying localities, as well as towns like Shuwaymiyah, Mahut and Haima, into the network served by the proposed power plant at Duqm.
Meanwhile, peak electricity demand in the MIS -- an area covering the governorates of Musandam, Muscat, Batinah North, Batinah South, Dakhiliyah, Sharqiyah North and Sharqiyah South -- is expected to grow at the rate of 8 per cent annually from 3,845 MW in 2011 to 6,582 MW in 2018. In the high-case scenario, demand growth is projected at 11 per cent annually, taking the projected capacity requirements to 8,089 MW in 2018.
While new Independent Power Projects (IPPs) under construction at Sur, Barka (Phase III) and Sohar (Phase II) will contribute 3,490 MW of the expected capacity requirements, the balance will be met through extensions of Power Purchase Agreements concluded with existing plants. These extensions could provide up to 1,432 MW of power generation capacity over the 2012-2018 timeframe, according to the offtaker.
Furthermore, subject to a firm government go-ahead, OPWP also hopes to procure around 200 MW of new capacity through the development of solar power projects. A competitive process is likely to be initiated this year if the project receives the government's green-light.
On the water desalination front, aggregate water demand (excluding Salalah) is projected to grow annually by 5 per cent from 196 million m3 to 269 million m3 in 2018. Part of this capacity growth will be met through the establishment of a new Independent Water Project at (IWP) at Ghubrah. The 191,000 m3/day capacity plant will come into operation in 2014.
Another 405,000 m3/day (89 MIGD) of water desalination capacity is proposed to be established through the procurement of IWPs at Suwaiq and Qurayat. Further, any balance shortfall in projected capacity requirements will be met through extensions in water purchase agreements covering output from Barka 1 and the existing units at Ghubrah. ACWA Power, which operates the Barka 1 facility, has also proposed to boost output by 45,000 m3/day (10 MIGD).
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
