Oman's Mazoon eyes $519m power investment

Oman's Mazoon Electricity Company, which serves nearly 40 percent of the sultanate's population, is planning to invest OR200m ($519.6m) in infrastructure and services.

Zahir bin Abdullah al-Abri, general manager, said in an interview with Oman News Agency that the company had invested more than OR13m in the first quarter of 2012 to support and upgrade its network.

He added that Mazoon's total number of customers reached 270,000 in  the beginning of 2012, a growth of seven percent.  

Al-Abri said that Mazoon was continuing to improve its networks in South Al Batinah, A'Dakhiliyah and South and North A'Sharqiyah Governorates where it has implemented several projects to expand the capacities of its sub-stations.

The company currently owns and manages 216 distribution centres and around 11,000 sub-stations.

Al-Abri said as part of Mazoon's extensive village electrification project, the company supplied power to 23 remote villages.

Currently, works are under way to supply power to an additional 36 villages, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.