Oman Completes First Phase Of National Grid Integration Project

The Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC), responsible for Oman’s transmission system, has successfully completed the initial phase of the North-South Interconnection Project (Rabt), a significant endeavor to unify Oman’s two separate grids into a single integrated national network.

This achievement, which involved connecting five major grid stations via overhead transmission lines spanning 670 kilometers, has allowed the Main Interconnected System (MIS) to stretch from Nihada in Al Dhahirah Governorate to the Duqm Special Economic Zone in Al Wusta Governorate.

The isolated networks of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer) in Duqm SEZ have also been linked as part of this phase. The total investment in the Rabt interconnection project across two phases amounts to approximately RO 372 million.

The challenging terrain of Oman, which includes rugged hills, plateaus, wadis, and desert expanses, posed difficulties during the first phase of construction. Major grid stations were established at intervals along the transmission system at Nihada, Barik, Suwaihat, Duqm, and Mahout, each equipped with transformers of 500 MVA capacity.

The second phase, set to launch before the year’s end, will involve extending 400kV transmission lines from Duqm to connect with the existing Dhofar System, further enhancing Oman’s national grid.

Beyond the immediate benefits of grid interconnection, the Rabt project holds strategic importance. It will open up vast areas in the Al Wusta Governorate for future green energy projects, particularly in solar and wind power.

Improved energy efficiency and security of supply are additional advantages, with the integrated system enhancing electricity supply to PDO areas and reducing their reliance on gas-fired power generation.