Muscat: During its media briefing in Muscat, the Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR) announced several improvements to improve performance standards, including doubling compensation for repeated failures by companies to meet service levels for subscribers.
Dr. Mansour bin Talib Al-Hinai, chairman, APSR, said that the water and sanitation sector recorded a 13% growth in water consumption and a 12% increase in the number of subscribers between 2021 and 2025.
Meanwhile, the number of electricity subscribers increased by 14%, and consumption rose by 27%, reflecting the economic and urban expansion in the Sultanate of Oman.
He said that renewable energy production reached 9.46 percent of total production by the end of 2025, compared to 1.95 percent in 2021, with a production capacity sufficient to meet the consumption of around 155,000 homes.
He added that APSR has achieved a comprehensive digital transformation, with 100 percent of services digitized, 99 percent of water meters and 80 percent of electricity meters installed, and actual meter readings reaching 97 percent for electricity and 97.71 percent for water.
Al Hinai announced the introduction of enhancements to the service assurance standards, which included doubling the compensations in cases of repeated non-compliance by companies with the service levels provided to subscribers, affirming our commitment to working within an integrated regulatory framework that enhances performance efficiency and entrenches governance principles in the vital sectors.
He further noted the significant progress in protecting subscribers through digital platforms, with the "Hasel" platform achieving a 99% completion rate and the "Tajawob" platform achieving 100%. In 2025, the Authority addressed over 7,000 complaints and provided approximately RO153,000 in compensation to more than 9,000 subscribers.
He explained that the satisfaction rate with company performance rose to 75 percent, and that the average time required to deliver services reached 1.17 days for the electricity sector and 6 days for the water sector.
Meanwhile, the Omanization rate in sector companies reached 98.55 percent, and in permanent contract companies, it reached 78 percent. The number of new jobs created in the basic services sector during 2025 reached approximately 2,050.
He emphasized that total spending on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) increased during 2025 by 80 percent to reach 119 million Omani rials, and the contribution of local added value increased by 35 percent to reach RO50 million.
The Authority has achieved a comprehensive digital transformation, with the digitization rate of services reaching 100%.
The transformation rate to smart meters is 99% in the water sector and 80% in the electricity sector.
The actual reading rate reached 97% for electricity and 97.71% for water.
The CEO of Nama Water Services stated that the water and wastewater sector is witnessing a 32% increase in network length and a 9% increase in the number of treatment plants, with wastewater treatment reaching 98%.
He also noted a 74% increase in water quality tests and a 99.81% compliance rate with Omani drinking water standards, reflecting a high level of water quality control.
He added that 97 projects are currently underway in the water and wastewater sector, with a total value of approximately 966 million Omani rials, which will enhance the expansion and efficiency of services.
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