Utilities

ABB wins $22m power contract in Kuwait

ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth about $22 million to supply electrical equipment and power systems for the Az Zour South power plant upgrade project in Kuwait. The order was placed by Alghanim International General Trading and Contracting an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) company, appointed by the Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water, as the main power plant contractor. As part of an expansion plan, 400 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity is to be added to the Az Zour combined cycle power plant, about 80 kilometers south of Kuwait city. “The additional capacity will help meet the growing need for power, especially during peak summer consumption periods” said Franz Josef Mengede, head of ABB’s Power Generation business within the Power Systems division. Electricity demand in Kuwait has been growing steadily, driven by construction activity and a rising population. ABB will be responsible for the electrical balance of plant, the DCS (distributed control system), field instrumentation and generator transformer. The project scope also includes the extension of the 275 kilovolt (kV) GIS (gas-insulated switchgear) substation, medium- and low-voltage equipment and the substation automation system. The project is expected to be completed by March 2012.
Source: TradeArabia News Service

Second phase of $1.4bn Gulf power grid starts

The second phase of the AED5bn ($1.4bn) Gulf power grid became operational on Wednesday with the UAE joining the grid, officials said. The electricity grid unifies those of six Gulf states with the first phase having become operational in early 2009 connecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. “This would provide a platform for energy trade and exchange, while improving the reliability of existing energy systems and lowering electricity reserve requirements on GCC countries,” Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE said in a statement. The project will save up to $5bn and will lay the foundation for a common energy market among the GCC countries, he said, adding it will provide the GCC states with sustainable energy supplies to support the national economies. Essa al-Kawari, chairman of the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) said studies were under way to connect the gulf grid to the wider Arab region as well as to Europe. “The Arab League is conducting a study for the connection to the wider Arab region and Saudi Arabia along with the World Bank is conducting the study for connection to Europe,” he told reporters without giving a timeline. The total capacity of the Gulf grid is up to 1200 MW, the maximum power that can be transferred to any country at any time, said Kawari. Discussions are currently going on for selling power on a commercial basis. Currently each Gulf country can negotiate bilaterally with one another to agree on tariffs for purchase and sale of electricity, he said. “All countries have benefited from the grid,” Kawari said, adding there was a penalty for countries for not supplying their quota or spinning reserve to the grid. Oman had delayed joining the grid by two years, Kawari said. “Due to rapid growth in demand in Oman and the GCC they are expected to join in two years.” The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a loose political and economic alliance between Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. ($1=AED3.672).
Source: Reuters

Metito to build new wastewater treatment plant in Saudi Arabia

Metito, a leading provider of total intelligent water management solutions in emerging markets, is to design, supply, deliver and install the latest water treatment plant in the company’s growing portfolio of projects in Saudi Arabia. The Al Ruqai Border Center wastewater treatment plant will be located in the north-east of the Kingdom. The contract valued at SR4.2 million, will be executed under the main contractor, Sanam Contracting Company, and upon completion in May 2012 will service 10,000 people in Al Ruqai and the surrounding area with treated wastewater for irrigation. As Salah El Ackad, general manager - Dubai, Northern Emirates, Oman, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, said: “We have a long history in the region lasting over 50 years and this project is part of a long line of ongoing initiatives we are looking at and signing on with in the Kingdom. “Al Ruqai represents a key area, as it is located right on the border with Kuwait and is home to many thousands of people. We are dedicated to constantly innovating water treatment technology and we aim to offer safe water for all those areas that need it.” The plant will utilize the latest in Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) technology for the treatment of the domestic wastewater, in order to yield the highest standards of Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) with minimum use of area. Metito is taking part in the 2011 WEPower Exhibition being held in Dammam, where it is interacting with industry leaders and government officials to unveil new projects and discuss the latest topics pertaining to the water industry in the region. El Ackad added: “This event is very important to the industry and particularly to Metito, as it allows us to enhance our presence in the Saudi Arabian market through participation in such essential events.”
Source: Arab News

Treated water network for Muscat

Work is under way to implement a network for distributing treated water, produced by plants currently under construction, in Muscat. The water reuse project, developed by Haya Water in Muscat governorate, is one of the major development projects under way in the city, said a statement. Eng Omar Al Wuhaibi, CEO of Haya Water, said: ‘The water reuse project aims at protecting the environment against pollution resulting from the outflow of the traditional sewage tanks, especially the outflow of untreated sewage has adverse impact on health and result in spread of diseases and epidemics. Moreover, it causes offensive smell that makes life intolerable in the affected areas. “The project also aims at providing treated effluent to be used in irrigation and planting purposes. This in turn will reduce the consumption of fresh water in such works. The treatment process is designed as per the world-class standards and best practices in this field using the most advanced technologies. The plants are designed to treat sewage in three phases which allows us to use the treated effluent in irrigation and plantation purposes,’ he said. All Haya Water treatment plants use the membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology , one of the best technologies used in the world to get high quality treated water free of any pollutants, he said. Haya Water will implement a 290,000 m long network for the transportation and distribution of treated water. The network covers the provinces from wilayat of Greater Muttrah to the wilayat of Barka. The main pipeline will be of 1000 mm diameter and the subsidiary conduits between 100 and 500 mm. These networks will transport the treated effluent to beneficiaries, he said. About 50 million liters per day of treated effluent has been earmarked for irrigation purposes by Muscat Municipality to irrigate parks and public garden as well as the plants and trees on Sultan Qaboos Road. Muscat Hills project is provided by 3,475,350 liters of treated effluent per day, compared to 38,217 liters per day for Diwan of Royal Court, 29,533 liters per day for the Aviation Club, 842,424 liters per day for Wentworth Golf Course and 62,344 liters per day for W J Towell, Al Wuhaibi. “The water treatment plants now produce about 75 million liters of treated water per day to be increased to 140 million liters per day when the project is completed by 2018. About 80 per cent of Muscat residents will be connected to the sewage networks. This in turn will contribute to increasing the greenery in Muscat provinces and wilayats,’ he added. Haya Water, established in 2002, is a fully state-owned company. The company designs, builds and operates water reuse projects in Muscat governorate.
Source: TradeArabia News Service