Utilities
Qatar builds new reservoirs to prevent future water crisis
Qatar's desalinated water reserve can only last for one-and-a-half days in the case of an emergency, a Qatari official has warned. However, the size of the reserve is being increased to meet the country's water requirements in a period of crisis and will soon be able to last for one week. Qatar hopes to have the increased reserve in place in about two years, Ali Saif Al Malki, the Head of Water Networks at the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation in Kahramaa said. The upgrading of the water capacity is part of the country's strategy to override a possible future water crisis and new reservoirs are being built to help achieve the strategic goal. Al Malki said six water desalination plants at present produce 270 million gallons of water per day, but the figure is set to reach 325 million gallons when the seventh plant comes into operation. Increased production will meet fast growing demands for water, from both residential as well as industrial users all over the country, over the next five years, he said. Qatar's water distribution networks currently have 4,200 kilometers of pipeline, but plans to link upcoming industrial and commercial projects to the network will boost the figure.
Egypt to build 100 MW solar park
Mindful of a 20% renewable energy generation target by 2020, Egypt plans to build a 100 MW solar power plant. Construction of the US$700 million (EUR 550m) facility, to pop up at Kom Ombo, near the Aswan High Dam hydro-electric plant, will span between 2012 and 2017. The project will be bankrolled by a number of international institutions, including the African Development Fund and the World Bank. Additional finance is also expected to be provided through the UN's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon offsetting scheme. This will be the nation's second large scale solar power project following the country's first solar plant at El-Koraymat, south of Cairo, which is expected to be finished later this year and will have a 20 MW of solar power capacity alongside 120 MW of conventional natural gas power. The latest solar park is part of a five-year plan running from 2012-2017 designed to establish Egypt as one of the top generators of solar energy in North Africa.
Japan's Toshiba, US firms to offer nuclear power plant services to Saudi Arabia
Toshiba Corp. said it will work with two US companies in proposing to Saudi Arabia a full range of services for a nuclear power plant project being planned in the country. Toshiba, engineering service provider Shaw Group Inc. and Exelon Nuclear Partners, a major US electric power company, plan to propose the use of Toshiba's advanced boiling water reactor, which has been in use at nuclear power plants in Japan. But they also plan to show that the group also is capable of utilizing Westinghouse's technology on a pressurized water reactor, Toshiba said. While no concrete plan has yet to emerge with regard to the prospective Saudi Arabian nuclear power project, Toshiba said it hopes to get itself ready to make a pitch jointly with the US companies.
Shaw, Toshiba and Exelon sign teaming agreement for nuclear projects in Saudi
The Shaw Group Inc., Toshiba Corporation and Exelon Nuclear Partners announced a teaming agreement to pursue opportunities to provide a full complement of services to design, engineer, construct and operate new nuclear electric generating plants in Saudi Arabia. Under the terms of the agreement, the group jointly would pursue engineering, procurement, construction and operations of nuclear power plants using Toshiba`s Advanced Boiling Water Reactor(ABWR), which is a leading-edge nuclear power plant technology with already proven records of performance, reliability and operation in Japan. The group also is capable of utilizing Westinghouse AP1000 technology, the leading-edge passively cooled nuclear technology. Toshiba and Shaw would provide design, engineering, procurement and construction while Exelon would provide operations and related services for the projects. "Shaw, Toshiba and Westinghouse are working collaboratively with customers to build four nuclear units in China and six new nuclear units in the U.S., the first contracts awarded in the U.S. in nearly 30 years for new nuclear power plants," said J.M. Bernhard Jr., Shaw`s chairman, president and chief executive officer. "The addition of Exelon, which operates the largest nuclear power fleet in the United States, creates a team that is unmatched in its ability to offer a portfolio of technology, construction and operations in Saudi Arabia." The Saudi government recently stated its commitment to the research and funding of commercial nuclear power. In April, King Abdullah issued a royal order establishing the King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy, a high-level organization that will oversee all aspects of a nuclear power industry in Saudi Arabia. Shaw currently is working in Saudi Arabia, performing a three-phase study to define and recommend operational improvements at 53 power plants throughout the Kingdom.
Dubai's DEWA inks development deals worth US$142m
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) signed three project development contracts worth AED522 million (US$142.2 million) as the utilities company upgrades facilities to meet an uptick in demand. DEWA signed a supply contract for spare parts, upgrades and specialist services related to gas turbines and repowering at its Jebel Ali power station with Ansaldo Energia for a period of 10 years at a cost of AED450 million, it said in a statement. In addition, DEWA signed two contracts worth AED70 million and AED2.5 million with AREVA T&D to upgrade its transmission system at its substations. "DEWA will equip its facilities with the state-of-the-art technologies to further enhance their reliability and efficiency in order to serve Dubai's urban and economic expansion," said Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer, the firm's chief executive. Earlier in July, DEWA was reported as planning a tender for its first privately operated power and water plant in the first quarter of 2011, as it opts for the private sector to build new plants to save costs.
GE seals US$300m deals for Oman power project
Energy giant GE said it has received contracts totaling nearly US$300m to provide gas turbines and long-term services to help supply power and water in southern Oman. The contracts for the Salalah Independent Water & Power Project (IWPP) will support the Dhofar region, the company said in a statement. The project, located in the Taqah area of Salalah, will have a capacity of 445 megawatts of electricity and 15 million imperial gallons per day of desalinated water to help meet the region's growing power and clean water needs, it added. "Both the power and water demands in the Dhofar region have been increasing steadily over the past several years," said Bob Whitelaw, CEO of the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company. "The Salalah IWPP is a critical part of the growth and investment plans for the Sultanate's continued social and economic development." All of the electricity and water output from the plant will be sold under a 15-year power and water purchase agreement executed by the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company and Sembcorp Salalah Power & Water Company.