The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) plans to connect around 2.66 GW of new solar and wind projects to the grid by 2027 to meet the sultanate's growing electricity consumption. In a seven-year statement from 2021 to 2027, the OPWP said it would implement two solar projects, each with a maximum capacity of 500 megawatts, in Adedakiriyah province in northern Oman. The Mana Solar Phase I and Mana Solar Phase II stand-alone generators, as the project is called, are expected to be in commercial operation in the second and third quarters of 2024, respectively.

Oman has built its first large-scale solar park, the 500 MW IPP Ibri Phase II, in Dahira Governorate, and is connected to the grid. According to OPWP's plan, another solar project, MIS solar IPP 2025, will be constructed with a capacity of 500 MW. The site for the park is currently under consideration. A fifth solar photovoltaic (PV) project of around 600 MW could be developed in Al Osta.

Its trial run is scheduled for 2027. In addition, a feasibility study will be conducted to develop a solar thermal collector (CSP) project that may be located near Addukum. OPWP's wind expansion strategy includes several large-scale projects. A 100 MW wind power project will be developed in Jalan Bani Bou Ali, North Sharki province, Duqm region, scheduled to be operational by the third quarter of 2025. Dowfalde offers favorable conditions for wind power, with OPWP planning to develop another 100 MW wind power project next to the existing 49.4 MW Dowfalde 1 wind farm, the first in Oman to be connected to the grid Wind power station generating electricity. The Dhofar II wind power IPP company should be in commercial operation in 2026.

Two other wind power projects will add approximately 360MW of generating capacity to the Ad Duqm power system. The Duqm wind farm with a planned capacity of 200 MW is expected to be operational in the third quarter of 2025, while the Duqm II wind farm of at least 160 MW is expected to start operation in 2027. The state-owned company noted that planned solar and wind projects are expected to account for around 13% of total electricity generation by 2025. This ratio is expected to increase further to 20% by 2027.Editor/XingWentao