sufficient production capacity to meet both peak demand and reserve margin targets from 2016 through 2020.

Groundwater sources will no longer be needed after the summer peak season of 2015.

1.5

COMBINING POWER GENERATION AND WATER DESALINATION

Introduction
In developing its plans for procuring power generation resources, OPWP is required to consider the
opportunity for combining power generation with water desalination so as to benefit from economies of colocation and co-procurement.
The most recent examples of combined development of power and
desalination capacity are the Salalah IWPP in Dhofar and the Barka II Power and Desalination Plant in the MIS.
In both cases, bidders proposed to use RO rather than MSF technology for water desalination, although the
procurement specifications did not specify the technology to be used. OPWP expects that future plants will
also be proposed to use RO technology due to its economic advantage. .

Potential for Future Combined Power Generation and Desalination

As discussed in Section 1.4 above, two large desalination plants are planned during the 7-year planning period,
at Qurayyat and As Suwayq, with service dates in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Of these two locations, the
Qurayyat site is considered a relatively poor choice for power. It is relatively distant from the gas transmission
network, and the mountainous terrain between the site and such facilities would make the necessary
connection lines quite costly. The As Suwayq site is situated quite near to power and gas transmission lines
between Barka and Sohar. Hence of the two sites, As Suwayq is more amenable to a co-located power and
water facility.
Site and infrastructure considerations have been studied carefully in preparation for procurement of these
projects. An initial study identified potential sites at both Qurayyat and As Suwayq, in consultation with the
Ministry of Housing, Supreme Council for Planning, and others. OPWP conducted a broader study in 2013 to
identify potential sites for power and water desalination throughout the Sultanate, for long-term planning.
This Site Selection and Reservation Study considered land access, infrastructure issues for fuel supply,
electricity and water connection, and a variety of other issues that involved consultation with the Ministry of
Housing, Supreme Council for Planning, Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, MOG, OGC, OETC, PAEW,
and other organizations.
OPWP plans to move ahead with the next water desalination plant at Qurayyat for a 2017 start, on a wateronly basis (IWP). OPWP is currently evaluating the feasibility of a co-located power and water plant (IWPP) at
As Suwayq for operation in 2017/2018. However, the area around the As Suwayq site has been found to be
relatively congested, posing challenges to obtain land for the extensive access corridors needed for gas
pipeline, electricity transmission, and water pipeline, in time to meet requirements for the plant to be in
service. For this reason, OPWP is also considering alternative sites that may involve separate development of
water and power. These sites include Ibri and Sohar for power, Sohar and Barka for water, in addition to the As
Suwayq site. The selection of site(s) is expected to be completed early in the second quarter of 2014.

7-Year Statement (2014-2020)

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