The expansion plant of ACWA Power Barka which is expected to be operational in one year’s time will be able to produce 10 MIGD of potable water.
ACWA Power Barka, the leading IWPP leader in the region, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its water expansion project in Barka, recently under the auspices of Mohammed al Mahrouqi, chairman of Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). A number of dignitaries from various ministries, company officials and guests attended the ceremony.
The project is part of the expansion plans of ACWA Power and once ready the expansion plant will produce 10 MIGD (million imperial gallons per day) of potable water. This Independent Water Project (IWP) will be developed on a Build, Own and Operate (BOO) basis adjacent to ACWA Power Barka’s existing plant. The existing desalination facility has been producing 20 MIGD of potable water since 2003 and the new plant is expected to catapult the production levels to 30 MIGD. The additional desalinated water capacity produced by the expansion project comes as a respite as it will help reduce the projected shortfall of the Sultanate’s water production capacity.
Commenting on the occasion, Mohammad bin Abdullah Abunayyan, chairman, ACWA Power Barka said, “The expansion project comes at an opportune time as the demand for potable water in Oman is putting pressure on the existing capacities. The additional water production will help match the demand that is estimated to be rising at 8 per cent per annum. The projected shortfall in the water desalination production capacity of the Sultanate will surely be augmented with the help of this new project.”
The new plant will be the first of its kind and will reuse seawater heat-rejection from the existing desalination process for potable water capacity addition.
Nadeem Rizvi, CEO of ACWA Power Barka, reaffirmed the commitment of ACWA Power Barka to the power and water sector in Oman in his comments, saying, “We are proud to undertake a project which will give us a chance to demonstrate our commitment to the Sultanate by contributing to the longevity of potable water supply.”
Continuing further, he said, “In the medium to long-term, this expansion project will prove to be a well-sought after solution to balance shortfalls of current desalinated water production capacity in the Sultanate. We will continue to play a larger role in the water and power sector in Oman with innovative solutions that create value.”