MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has marked a milestone in its water infrastructure with the successful completion of the Barka V desalination plant.

Developed by GS Inima, a global leader in the water sector, the plant has passed its final acceptance tests and is now fully operational, delivering water to Nama Power and Water Procurement Company, Oman’s sole procurer of power and water. The Barka V facility, which achieved 100 per cent availability during its final performance test, is now supplying 105,000 cubic meters of high-quality drinking water per day, serving a population of 800,000 in Muscat, Dakhiliyah, and Batinah, the country’s most populous governorates.

Construction of the Barka V plant, which uses advanced reverse osmosis technology, began in March 2022 and concluded in June 2024. GS Inima led the project as the EPC contractor, overseeing engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning. The project also achieved a significant safety milestone, completing 3 million work hours without any lost time incidents (LTI). This rapid completion, within 26 months, sets a new benchmark in the desalination industry in Oman, reaffirming GS Inima’s capability to manage and deliver technically complex projects while maintaining the highest safety standards.

The completion of Barka V follows another landmark project in Oman’s desalination sector. In November 2023, Oman inaugurated a 17-megawatt peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) farm in Sur, developed by Veolia in partnership with TotalEnergies. This solar plant powers the Sharqiyah Desalination Plant, the largest solar-powered desalination facility in Oman, producing over 32,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of green electricity annually.

The solar farm aligns with Oman’s National Energy Strategy, which targets 30 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, supporting the broader goals of Oman Vision 2040. Both projects highlight Oman’s commitment to expanding its desalination capacity while embracing sustainable energy solutions.

2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).