MUSCAT: The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company SAOC (OPWP), the sole buyer of electricity and desalinated water capacity in the Sultanate of Oman, has floated a tender for the selection of an international adviser to provide Technical and Economic Consultancy Services linked to the planned development of wind-based Independent Power Projects (IPPs) in the country.

The selected consultant will advise OPWP – a member of Nama Group – initially on the feasibility of a number of wind farms planned for implementation in the eastern, central and southern parts of the Sultanate of Oman. In the second phase, the consultant will provide technical and economic advisory services linked to projects that are firmed up for procurement on a competitive basis.

Significantly, the tender signals the start of a new effort by OPWP to develop wind power capacity to complement the growing portfolio of solar PV-based schemes lined up for implementation in key parts of the country.

Commenting on the outlook for renewable energy development, the state-owned power procurer said: “Over the next seven years, OPWP is committed to achieve ambitious goals to diversify the sources of electricity generation."

"New solar and wind projects are forecast to contribute almost 13 per cent of electricity production by 2025, and efficient utilisation of gas consumption will continue to improve over the planning horizon,” it added in its Yearly Outlook Statement for the 2021 – 2027 timeframe.

Plans drawn up by OPWP envisage the development of an estimated 100 MW-capacity wind-based IPP at Jaalan Bani Bu Ali in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate. Two 100-metre-tall wind masts have already been installed at the proposed site for the collection of wind resource data.

In Dhofar Governorate, where Oman’s first commercial scale wind farm – a 50 MW capacity system in operation at Harweel – OPWP is weighing plans for an additional Wind IPP with a capacity of around 100 MW. The new facility will be located adjacent to the existing project in Harweel.

In Duqm, on the Sultanate of Oman’s southeast coast, OPWP has plans to develop a pair of wind IPPs of a combined capacity of around 360 MW.

Interested bidders have until September 5, 2022 to submit their offers for the consultancy services tender.

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