Regulatory framework to safeguard against poor quality power supply in Oman

Network audit: Impact of power quality issues on residential, commercial and industrial consumers to be evaluated

The Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR), which regulates the electricity sector, among other public utility services in the Sultanate of Oman, plans to shortly commission an audit of licensed power transmission and distribution companies to ensure that consumers are not impacted by poor quality power supply.

The audit will form the basis of a new ‘Quality of Power Supply Regulatory Framework’ to help monitor compliance by transmission and distribution licensees with the technical requirements of quality of supply across their networks.

“The electricity sector in Oman has experienced a sustained growth of customer connections which required capital investments in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructures. The

Authority for Public Services Regulation has to ensure that the customers are not receiving poor power quality which may result in damaging their appliances,” the regulator stated in an introduction to the initiative.

A number of consultants are participating in a competitive tender launched by APSR for the selection of a qualified firm to undertake the proposed audit, as well as to develop the regulatory framework around it. Interested bidders have until June 6, 2022 to submit their proposals in this regard.

The selected bidder will be required to meet with all of the licensed transmission and distribution companies to confirm the extent to which each complies with their obligations in terms of technical parameters related to quality of power supply. Opportunities for improvements will have to be identified as well.

The list of licensees includes Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC), which operates the Main Interconnected System (The North Oman Grid) and Dhofar Grid; the three distribution and supply companies — Muscat Electricity, Majan Electricity and Mazoon Electricity; the Dhofar Integrated Services Company (DISC), which oversees distribution and supply in Dhofar Governorate; and the Rural Areas Electricity Company — Tanweer, which covers remote areas unserved by the national grids.

A key part of the selected bidder’s remit is to evaluate the impact of power quality issues on residential, commercial and industrial consumers, including large customers connected at the transmission level, the captive power generators and embedded generation. Additionally, the consultant will assist the Authority in the drafting of “an appropriate Regulatory Framework of Power Quality Management to ensure proper reporting mechanism is made to the Authority and that the interests of licensees and their customers are balanced in as far as power quality and reliability of supply is concerned”, the regulator added.