Oman’s Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco) aims to be generating 25% of its supply from renewable sources by 2020. Raeco chief executive Hamad al-Maghderi says that solar power in particular and also wind capacity will be developed over the next five years. He says the company will spend $200mn on building a total 90MW of renewables capacity at sites including Al-Mazyunah, Thumrait and Masirah.
Mr Maghderi says Raeco is talking with petroleum firms about a proposal to convert existing diesel-fired plants, to burn gas provided in the form of LNG at terminals in Dhofar and Musandam. Raeco sees the presences of enough gas available for it to generate 420MW, he adds. However, state utility Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP) anticipates a squeeze on gas availability, with Oman’s total gas requirement for power generation rising 50% by 2020 (MEES, 11 April). (CONTINUED - 275 WORDS)
