Oman’s state Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) has expanded its plan for desalination capacity growth as a result of revised government population statistics. This could see new desalination plants at Salalah, Duqm and Khasab in addition to projects already under development or planned. Rising desalination demand is adding to Oman’s already surging electricity consumption, which OPWP expects to more than double to 10.2GW by 2020, according to its latest seven-year forecast (MEES, 11 April).
OPWP sees peak water demand in the northern region – the Interconnected Zone (IZ: Muscat, al-Batinah, Buraymi, al-Dakhiliyah and al-Dhahirah governorates and Sohar industrial port) and Sur – increasing by 6%/year during 2014-20 to 1.177mn cmd (see table). This compares with earlier forecasts of 3-5%. Total annual demand IZ and Sur demand will rise from 239mn cu ms in 2013 to 349mn cu ms in 2020, OPWP predicts. (CONTINUED - 559 WORDS)
