Top regional power producing companies Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority (Bewa) are set to take part as supporting entities at the 13th annual Power-Gen Middle East Conference and Exhibition.
The event will run from October 4 to 6 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, under the patronage of Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE’s Minister of Energy.
Activity in Saudi Arabia, a leading world energy economy, will develop rapidly as large-scale capital spending is applied to building new capacity and expansion of existing facilities including $150 billion in power generation, said a statement.
The country needs in excess of 30,000 MW extra capacity by the year 2020 and SEC is planning to spend $80 billion over the next 10 years to meet Saudi Arabia’s rising demand for electricity, it said.
Nigel Blackaby, event director, said: “The regional power generation industry is witnessing significant public and private investment especially in infrastructure projects for large-scale power generation. This is being led by heavyweights such as SEC and BEWA who are implementing the latest technologies and embracing innovation to create best-practice examples.”
The current investment projects in Saudi Arabia feature significant private sector participation, with $79 billion in private-sector energy projects under development, according to the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority.
It includes the collaboration between SEC, the Middle East’s largest utility by market value and Saudi Aramco to build the Fadhili power plant which is currently inviting participation from the private sector.
Private investment is expected to grow even further as the economy expands and the Saudi business environment continues to improve.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s state agency responsible for power and water, Bewa, is planning to develop the national infrastructure over the next five years (2015 to 2019) at a total cost of $3.6 to $4 billion.
It includes developing smaller-scale solar and waste-driven power generation plants to diversify the country’s energy mix.
Adnan Fakhro, deputy chief executive, Distribution and Customer Service at Bewa, said: “Bahrain’s boasts a world-class transmission network and power infrastructure, capable of trading electricity within the GCC. This exhibition is an opportunity to demonstrate Bahrain’s innovation and use of technology and engage with the industry about plans for future growth.”
Source: Trade Arabia
