Sembcorp Opens Oman Water & Power Plant

Sembcorp Industries has officially opened its US$1 billion Wilayat Mirbat Independent Water and Power Plant in Oman. The ceremony was officiated on Sunday by Oman’s Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, Sayyid Mohammed Sultan Hamoud Al Busaidi, and Singapore’s Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam.

The facility consists of a gas-fired power plant that has a total gross capacity of 490 MW and a seawater desalination plant with a total water production capacity of 69,000 cubic meters per day. The plant will provide power and water under a 15-year power and water purchase agreement with the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company, which is wholly-owned by the government of Oman.

The Wilayat Mirbat IWPP is Sembcorp’s first facility in Oman. The project was secured in 2009 following a competitive bidding process involving global utilities players. Besides the Wilayat Mirbat IWPP, Sembcorp also owns, operates and maintains the Fujairah 1 Independent Water and Power Plant, one of the world’s largest operating hybrid desalination plants, in the United Arab Emirates since 2006.

Separately, Sembcorp also signed a joint venture agreement with Takamul Investment Company, a subsidiary of Oman Oil Company, to develop centralized utilities facilities for the Duqm Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The project will extend the reach of Sembcorp’s centralized utilities business into the Middle East and build on Sembcorp’s position as a pioneer in this field.

Takamul’s and Sembcorp’s 65%-35% joint-venture entity will serve as a one-stop provider of a range of centralized utilities such as power, steam, water, sewerage treatment and on-site logistics to industrial customers in the Duqm SEZ.