Qatar’s electricity production will get a big boost with the opening Umm Al Houl power project. The project is expected to start production during the second quarter of next year, said Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman of Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada.
Dr Sada said energy production in Qatar will increase from 8,600 megawatts (MW) to more than 11,000 MW in one year, and more than 530 million gallons of desalinated water daily, once the full production of Umm Al Houl station is counted during the second quarter of 2018.
He was speaking during the launch ceremony of the expansion of Ras Abu Fontas (RAF) A3 Water Desalination Station held in Al Wakra.
Umm Al Houl power project, which is one among the biggest projects in the region, represents almost 25 percent of the total power and water requirement of Qatar.
Fahad bin Hamad Al Mohannadi, Managing Director and General Manager of QEWC said the current RAF A3 expansion is the last in the 40-year old station, and in the future the stations will be stopped or a study on the possibility of building new stations, whether in the field of electricity or water desalination.
Al Mohannadi added that any water produced undergoes at least a 15-day testing period and three levels of quality control. Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) owns a complete and internationally approved device for testing drinking water as well as the Ministry of Health has an independent device for testing water, in addition to an international third party that is assigned for this task. The water is pumped for use after approvals from all three entities.
Kahramaa President Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari said Kahramaa has made a plan to expand electricity and water power generation networks, where the new station Facility A will be launched this year.
Facility A is currently in the phase of preparing tender documents, and QEWC is a main partner in the station, he added.
Al Kuwari said that construction documents for an electricity generating station and other accompanying private projects are currently being prepared, where the QEWC is also a main partner.
The Kahramaa president said there are plans to expand the water and electricity network in the country, adding that any new plants are followed by energy and water distribution grids.
