GCC secretary-general stresses commitment to completing Gulf railway project on schedule    Saudi minister holds strategic AI and tech talks with French institutions in Paris    Absher processed over 35 million transactions in June 2025    Seven Umrah companies suspended for housing pilgrims in unlicensed accommodations    KSrelief signs Syria wildfire response deal in Latakia    Youth-led Saudi businesses exceed 474K    ASICS and Saudi Sports for All launch startup pitch to boost sports innovation in Saudi Arabia    GCC and Muslim World League condemn Israeli strikes on Syria    Striking trade deal with US was an 'extraordinary struggle,' Indonesia says    Scientists recover proteins from a 24 million-year-old rhino fossil    Harry Potter actress Emma Watson banned from driving for speeding    Thousands of Afghans were moved to UK in secret scheme after data breach    Trump says attorney general should release any 'credible' information on Epstein    Saudi Arabia to expand railway network by over 50% under transport strategy    Health official warns against unsupervised use of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro    Biggest human imaging study scans 100,000th person    Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Arabia as Al Nassr head coach on one-year deal    Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title    Chelsea defeat PSG 3-0 to win first expanded Club World Cup    Theo Hernández: Al Hilal can compete with Europe's best    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Master plan on water, electricity on cards
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 04 - 11 - 2008

The Ministry of Water and Electricity is working on a strategy to integrate w ater and power sectors with a master plan in all fields of water, including underground, service water, desalination, sanitation and electricity, according to Fehied Fahad Al-Shareef, Governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC).
“The integration will also be there in electricity between the existing companies, IPPPs, companies that build power for compounds and cities, and cogeneration companies,” he said, adding that there is a study now, a national plan, which began some time ago with international consultants. He hoped it will come soon.
In answer to a question about hurdles and prospects in the way of a national strategy for power and water production, during the concluding day of the Fourth Saudi Water and Power Forum (SWPF 2008) here on Monday, Al-Shareef said Saudi Arabia was a vast country. “As such some areas are isolated where supplying electricity and water cause some delay and difficulty.”
He said the Ministry of Water and Electricity is having discussions with the SWCC, the regulator, the electric company, and consultants from the King Saud University and King Fahd University. “I hope it will be finished within three to four years,” he said, and explained that the SWCC does not build any desalination plant without coordination with the ministry, the electricity company, and the regulator.
The Water and Electricity Company (WEC) is working on a national grid to connect all areas. It is not completed yet. Connections have been made between Riyadh and the Eastern Province, Riyadh and Qassim, and Qassim and Hail. Now work is on for connecting Qassim and Madina, and then Jeddah with the Central Region.
The other difficulty is posed by the rapidly increasing demand because of development, boom in the economy, and population. “When a certain percentage of increase is predicted or forecast, you find you cannot meet that in one or two years because power demand is seasonal – low in winter, and high in summer – as you have to build, reserve only for a short period of time, a few months,” he said.
Al-Shareef assured that the master plan and the connecting of all the areas together, and also export/import of power between the neighboring countries, will help a sustainable development for the water and power sector.
Al-Shareef said King Abdullah City for Science and Technology (KACST) is doing a good job, and SWCC has an agreement with it to conduct research on desalination technology, and solar energy to use it in the production of desalinated water.
“KACST is in touch with the government and the private sector, the universities, and industry,” he said. – SG __


Clic here to read the story from its source.