Construction work has commenced on one of Omans biggest water transmission projects a strategically vital initiative of the government designed to secure the efficient transmission and supply of potable water across the populous North and South Al Batinah governorates of the Sultanate.

A joint venture of Spanish infrastructure and technology giant Elecnor and Omani construction firm Target LLC is undertaking the construction of a new water transmission system from Barka in South Al Batinah all the way to Suhar in North Al Batinah.

The prestigious contract, valued at RO 82 million (approx. $212 million), was awarded to the JV by the Public Authority for Water (Diam) last November in a keenly contested international tender.

The centrepiece of the project is a 144-kilometre water transmission line that will substantially duplicate the existing transmission system linking the water desalination hubs of Barka and Suhar.

The overall aim is to ensure that the entire Barka Suhar system is capable of meeting the normal operation demands, surplus water transfer from one plant to connected areas of other plants and, enable emergency transfers of water, said Dr Alberto Jordan Reig, Senior Vice- President Elecnor.

Speaking to the Observer, the official explained that the project will contribute to the de-bottlenecking the existing transmission system that connects North Al Batinah to South Al Batinah, and provide some interconnections with other governorates for emergency transfers.

It shall provide better operational flexibility in the Main Interconnected System in the event of water emergencies during any one plant breakdown or shutdown, he said.

Also as part of its remit, the Elecnor Target JV will undertake the design, procurement and construction of the 144km long water transmission system. Additionally, as many as five reservoirs, ranging in capacities from 8,000 to 50,000 cubic metres, will be built at key locations along the length of the new system. Five pumping stations will be constructed as well.

Madrid-based Elecnor, which has a presence in more than 50 countries around the world, has already undertaken a number of key projects in the Sultanate. Notable is a contract awarded by the Public Authority for Water (Diam), to the Elecnor-Target JV, for the construction of a transmission system from Wadi Dayqah to an intermediate booster pumping system. The project, awarded in 2015, has since been completed.

A specialist in renewable energy projects, Elecnor was also involved in the installation of 19,500 solar photovoltaic modules atop the car parks of Petroleum Development Omans (PDO) Mina Al Fahal headquarters in Muscat. The contract, undertaken in partnership with Rukun Al Yakeen (RAY) of the Sultanate, is the largest solar project of its kind to date in the Sultanate, offering around 6 MWp of installed capacity.

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