Sultanate’s electricity generation hits 24,646GWh; Water output up 6.6pc

MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s net electricity production during January till August 2017 period registered a growth of 7.5 per cent year-on-year reaching 24,646 GWh (gigawatt per hour) from 22,935.8 GWh over the same period of 2016, according to the data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Net electricity produced during August this year declined to 3,744.8 GWh compared to July this year when it was 3,873.2 GWh.

Significantly, the highest growth in electricity generation was reported in the Governorate of Al Wusta, which increased its net power production by 86.2 per cent with output reaching 349 GWh at the end of August this year from 187.4 GWh during the same period of 2016.

The Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah, came second with an increased net power production of 34.6 per cent with an output reaching 5,639.7 GWh during the January till August this year, compared with 4,189.1 GWh during the same period of 2016.

Meanwhile, the Governorates of Muscat and Al Dakhiliyah remained the only governorates to record a fall in net electricity production during the period, according to the NCSI data. The Governorate of Muscat posted a 12.7 per cent drop in net electricity production at the end of August, which slumped to 2,451.3 GWh compared with an output of 2,807.1 GWh during the same period last year.

The Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah recorded a 16.4 per cent decline in net electricity production at the end of August this year to 737 GWh, compared to 881.4 GWh at the end of August 2016.

Net electricity production in the Governorate of Musandam increased by 5.2 per cent to 251.6 GWh at the end of August this year from 239.1 GWh during the same period in 2016.

Electricity production in the Governorate of Dhofar increased by 5.4 per cent to 2,342.3 GWh until the end of August this year 2017, from 2,223 GWh during the corresponding period of 2016.

Electricity production in the Governorates of North and South Al Batinah and Al Dhahirah together registered a 3.8 per cent growth to 12,875.1 GWh at the end of August this year, compared to 12,408.6 GWh during the same period last year.

The net figures are inclusive of purchases by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) and the Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC) from local power generating entities, as well as outputs from autogenerators and diesel rental units.

The Sultanate’s gross electricity production until the end of August this year increased 6.6 per cent to touch 24,915 GWh compared with 23,380.5 GWh achieved during the same period of 2016.

Meanwhile, the Sultanate’s total water production at the end of July this year increased by 6.6 per cent to 229,867,500 cubic metre (m3) compared with 215,550,000 m3 during the same period of 2016.

The Governorate of Dhofar raised its water production by 11.8 per cent to 30, 533,700 m3 at the end of July this year from 27,311,800 m3 during the same period of 2016.

The Governorate of Muscat raised its water production by 3 per cent to 101,496,700 m3 at the end of July this year compared to 98,580,100 m3 during the same period of 2016.

Production in other governorates together increased by 9.1 per cent to 97,837,100 m3 until the end of July 2017 from 89,658,100 m3 during same period of 2016, the data showed.