The Gulf region offers massive business potential for companies involved in Electrical Generation

About Bahrain

Kingdom of Bahrain
Electricity & Water Authority

The Ministry of Works, Power and Water has celebrated its Golden Jubilee during the period from 27th April until 3rd May, 1981 on the occasion of the passing anniversary of 50 years of the first operation of the first Power Station in Bahrain where the complex energy of 200 KW until the power demand reached its utmost peak and duly reached 414 mega watt on 10th August 1981, and on this occasion the demised Shaikh Essa Bin Salman AlKhalifa, the Amir of the State then to dislodge the screen of a memorial brand prepared for such occasion. Moreover, as the beginning was so humble then in pursuant to their standards at present, yet it was considered then a great accomplishment and a big essential quantitative move in the procession and direction of Bahrain Development. The electricity since then and in such gradual form was able to change the technique and mode of life in the Bahrain Community as the country witnessed since then a vast and continuous expansion with respect to various architectural economical domestic sectors, which would not be developed without the basic infrastructure.

Moreover, the growth average during the first three decades from the electricity history was too small and humble and slow in movement, as the complex power had reached by the year 1960 around 25 megawatt, but the fourth decade (The Sixtieth Decade) was distinguished by a great height and tangible in terms of consumption by the nationals, the institutions and its variations and as adopting new styles which were unknown before. Moreover, the response of the state then in the confrontation of such developments were very speedy and effective, as the energy of the complex generation elevated by the end of the decade to reach to more than three folds, and it happened for the first time - not with respect to Bahrain only but with respect to the Gulf region as a whole - where the construction of the transmission network for the electrical current of any energy of 33 kilovolt. However, the most important achievement during such decade was the connection of electricity to all nationals which is considered as a pride for our Country.

Furthermore, the Seventeenth decade had been, considered in fact as the decade of the great transmissions in the history of Bahrain as the increase of the electricity establishments during this decade to six folds more than the case in the end of the sixteenth which constitutes the reflections for the extent of the gigantic progress achieved by Bahrain with respect to the economical constructional and industrial domains, and their emergence as an advanced and strategic position of the services in the Gulf area.

The progress and achievement undertaken in Bahrain, is undoubtedly, a tangible progress in the electricity domain during the half century of its modern history was due to the effort, vision and loyalty of a number of personalities and those working in such domain and who successively run and administered and directed such essential utility who, really deserve the praise and discretion. Moreover, such achievement would not have witnessed such continuous development without the continuous governmental support for this lively and essential sector.

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that such transmission witnessed by the electricity utility since the operation of the first power station in Bahrain in 1931, and the qualitative step with respect to the volume and level of the great achievements witnessed then via the last decades until to date is a truthful expression for the expedite growth and continuous development in the Country with respect to all sectors. Further, the increase of the electrical institutions and other pursued development and expansion in the water sector is undoubtedly a reflection of the gigantic progress realized by the Kingdom in the economical, social and industrial domains as wells as the consolidation of its status as a strategic position and as an essential center in the Gulf area.

Further, the speculation with respect to the introduction of electricity into Bahrain in 1920 was inaugurated due to the fact of such speculation did not enter the implementation area except in 1928, where the invitation was carried out through inviting the biddings to establish "Ras Ruman Station" for power generation (Was named as Manama Station - 1) which was functioning via an energy of 200 kilowatts which was dually worked out through two generations functioning by diesel, and was then inaugurated in the month of May, 1931 by the demised Shaikh Hamad bin Essa AlKhalifa, who was then the Ruler of Bahrain which is considered the first utility for electricity established then in the Gulf area. It is yet worth mentioning that the fuel required for the said station was imported from Abadan in Iran due to the non-discovery of oil in Bahrain during that era.

At the beginning Manama area was provided with electricity and then the power service was extended until Muharraq through the using of upper line with a voltage of 3300 volts extended along the bridge which was then under construction between Manama and Muharraq, and a part of such line was as a submerged cable under the sea waters between both islands.

Furthermore, the operation of the first refinery for the oil in 1932 with a voltage of 25000 drums per day lead to the soaring of electricity consumption which reached 174 kilowatts. The demand increase on electricity lead to the institution of the Department in 1938 via the assemblage of the third diesel generator with a voltage of 200 kilowatts and the total voltage of the electricity utility reached 400 kilowatts.

During this decade the demand on the electricity soared to a great extent whereas the number of consumers increased from 222 to 1509 in 1940.

Further, the fourteenth decade witnessed the ascending of the demised Shaikh Salman bin Hamad AlKhalifa the control of the country, and during this decade a number of sub-stations were established for the electricity in Manama and Muharraq to enable more nationals to obtain the power.

Moreover, in the beginning of the fourteenth and until 1942 the electricity utility was operated in such capability and effectiveness. In 1946 the operation of a new generator with a voltage of 200 kilowatts began to function which led to a slight improvement in the electrical power.

In the years 1948 and 1949 two additional generators were installed then with a voltage of 300 kilowatts of each so that the total generation voltage reached to 1200 kilowatts.

However and despite such gigantic increase in the generators which exceeded 250% during a period of less than seven years yet it was insufficient to face the increase on demand and which led to the soaring on demand on the electricity to 940 kilowatts.

In 1952 the total of the generator's voltage increased to 3000 kilowatts in order to confront the increase on demand particularly after the decision of the Government of Bahrain to connect the electricity to various towns and districts in Bahrain. Moreover, the demised Ruler Shaikh Salman Bin Hamad AlKhalifa expressed then a great concern towards the execution of such viewpoint and to connect such public utility to all areas and villages.

In 1955, the work was achieved with respect to the establishment and installation of four power diesel generators where the maximum load per each unit was 1 megawatt. Such station was then known as Manama Station.

Further on 8th February 1956 a celebration was made under the patronage of the demised Shaikh Essa Bin Salman AlKhalifa who was then the Crown Prince who pressed the operation button announcing the commencement of the supply of Eastern Riffa with the electricity and such celebration was as the crowning of the efforts towards the efforts made for the connection of electricity to various parts of Bahrain.

Moreover, due to the increase of demand on the electricity, in 1958 the first gaseous turbine was operated for the electricity production in Bahrain, and by the advent of 1965 the installation of six gaseous turbine were completed and the complex power was 36.6 megawatt.

And despite the fact that the energy of the electricity generation in Manama, new area "B" was available to response to all demands on electricity but "Ras Romman Station" remained in use during the last thirty years as a reserve stations for the emergent cases and for the extra pressures on the electricity. It is yet worth mentioning, that such station remained as the most important features of Bahrain for many years as being the first electricity utility in the Gulf area. On the other hand, as a result of the operation of the new gaseous turbines the merit of the provision of the energy of the new generation of power required for Bahrain, and the Department made efforts towards the expansion in the distributed network which was too difficult to be operated with a voltage of 3300 volt only which used to be supplied by the "Ras Romman Station" for power generation.

Further, during the fifteenth the new Department has made tangible achievements where it carried out and executed programs of the power connections to the most villages and areas in Bahrain.

Moreover, such expansion in the Manama Power Generation Station. In 1972 Manama Station "C" throughout the addition of new generations until the complex voltage reached around 89 megawatt. Such units are installed to substitute the generated voltage from "Ras Romman Station" which resolved to close if then, and this was followed by the addition of two generation units raising the productive energy to about 101 megawatts.

During such era the increase continued with respect to the demand which called for the consolidation of the transmission voltage and distribution which called for the reconstruction of a transmission and distribution system via a voltage of 33000, in addition to the improvement of the design of underground cables and the upper electrical lines, where the operation of such system was commenced in 1963. Further, the distribution system with a voltage of 11000 volt represents the basic for the Underground Cable Network. In 1969 the last transmission and distribution system was substituted into another system transmission and distribution of a voltage 33000 volts.

The First Substation was established in "Isa Town" of a voltage of 33000 volts in 1966 where all engineering operations were carried out by the engineers and personnel of the Electricity Department. The year 1968 witnessed a further expansion in the Transmission & Distribution which operate via a voltage 33000 volts which covered Muharraq following the connection of the Submarine Cables across "The Khor Algalah".

Among the most essential electrical connections carried out by the Department in 1960 the electricity connection to Bahrain Petroleum Company "BAPCO" for the operation of the water pumping units in Zallaq, and the water and petroleum compressors in AlJasrah which represents the first basis station for pumping the petroleum between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

In 1964 the first single upper line for the connection of electricity was installed to both villages of Jaw and Askar. Further, in the same year the first lightning signals were installed on Bahrain avenues and roads, in addition to the electricity connection to Isa Town for the first time.

In 1967 the electricity was introduced to a number of small villages along the northern coast. In 1969 the electricity was connected to the ground satellite associated therewith "Cable & Wireless Company" and where the Department carried out the electricity connection for the establishment of Bahrain Airport and Aluminum smelter, in addition, the Department carried out the electricity connection to 44 towns and villages all over Bahrain. It is yet worth mentioning that the checking up process of all the transmission and distribution works were accomplished in the Control Chamber at Manama station.

Moreover, during this decade a lot of basic improvements were made to the distribution network, which operates via a voltage of 11000 volts. However, and despite the efforts made for the improvement of the network and its consolidation, yet the pressure was soared on the electrical load in the towns in such expedition which did not cope with the capabilities of the reinforcement of the Distribution network where the demand was increased from 4100 to 61000 kilowatts in the period from 1960 to 1970 and the number of consumers increased from 204440 to 42000 consumers.

Further, the Department executed some urgent programs aiming at responding to the increasing demand on electricity throughout the installation of new establishments for the power generation. In 1975 two additional generations were constructed in "Manama Station" for the electricity generation of a voltage of 5.19 megawatts. In 1976 "Muharraq Electricity Generation Station" was established adjacent to Muharraq International Airport which consisted of two units for electricity generation operating by diesel fuel a productive energy of 38 megawatts.

In conclusion, we hereby wish to focus on the fact that Bahrain throughout the support of its leaders and efforts of its nation has set up the primary foundations for the basic infrastructure and made the first steps towards the development and civilization witnessed by the country thereafter to embrace a number of gigantic projects which qualified it to be one of the most developed state in the region.

http://www.mew.gov.bh/en/default.asp?action=category&id=64

Demand for electricity in GCC countries triple global average

Strong growth in the volume of investments in different sectors of the GCC economies has seen the demand for power growing constantly in the recent years. The unprecedented expansion of construction sector and industrial projects has given a big boost to the energy sector in the region. The electricity demand in the Gulf region is growing at a phenomenal rate that soon will exceed the international average growth, which will make it the strongest energy generating markets in the world.

The Middle East demand for energy is expected to grow at more than 7 to 10 per cent per annum for the next 10 years, while the international demand is expected to grow by 3 per cent.

The GCC Grid as well as the Emirates National Grid project are designed to reduce the need for spinning reserve and to increase security in case of blackouts but as soon as these countries are interconnected the need and opportunities for trading will come up since various parties have different prices according to their long term power purchase agreements.

Billion dollar investment program provides lucrative business opportunities

Rapid population increase and billions of USD of government and private investment in the infrastructure of the GCC have led to a construction industry boom predicted to continue for the next 20 years. Thousands of building projects have begun with the demand for electricity to power these new developments expected to reach record levels. And with work on the multi billion-dollar, GCC-wide power grid project to link the six states with an integrated electricity network by the year 2010 also underway, the future of the power sector in the GCC states does indeed look bright. Once completed, the project will significantly reduce the cost of power generation in the six GCC states of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.

The first phase of the GCC Interconnection grid project will interconnect Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar by 2008 and later the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Sultanate of Oman by 2010. An overall budget of upwards of $8.5 billion will be spent on the project.

Among the benefits of a GCC-wide network is that it allows for production sharing, the countries will have an identical form of electricity and there will not be a need to set up separate power plants, which will save billions of dollars. The grid will also enable energy exchange programs between the GCC states and will play a major role in increasing productivity, diversifying economies and upgrade of systems.

Emirates National Grid opens up new horizons

Works are already underway to realize the Emirates National Grid intended to meet a projected surge in power demand especially for real estate projects now entering the construction phase. The main objective of the ENG project is to provide a flexible operation, enable electric power trading between all the UAE electrical authorities, allowing them mutual assistance for a better network stability and reliable power supply to their customers.

According to a survey carried by the Emirates International Bank, in just four years the UAE’s capacity for electricity will have to increase by 60% to 26,000 megawatts. The UAE has the highest project increase in demand, which is expected to continue to grow at a minimum rate of 10% per annum until 2010, reveals the report.

Dubai has the greatest demand potential and is growing at about 12 to 14% a year compared with other areas such as Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
According to the Abu Dhabi Water & Electrical Company, Abu Dhabi’s electricity demand is expected to double in the period 2008-2013. The water and electricity sector, which spearheaded the privatization wave in Abu Dhabi, will continue to stay in step with utilities in the vanguard of the movement and is set to attract an estimated $9.5 billion in investments over the next five years.

The news of the expected acceleration in electricity usage coincides with claims that shopping centre development in the GCC will grow by a massive 140% by 2011.