MUSCAT, OCT 13
Oman’s peak electricity demand is expected to rise to 12,000 megawatts (MW) by 2031 from around 7,500 MW in 2024, requiring substantial investment in the grid as the country increases renewable generation.
Mohsin bin Hamad al Hadhrami, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, said demand was growing at about 7 per cent a year, roughly twice the pace of the wider economy.
“The pace of growth is unprecedented,” he told the IEEE PowerTalks 2026 conference, describing the rate as “double the GDP growth”.
Likening the economy to a vehicle travelling at 100 kilometres per hour while the power sector runs at 200, he said: “You are double the speed of the entire economy, double the speed of every sector.” The electricity sector was also contributing to economic growth by enabling industries such as manufacturing and agriculture to expand, he said. But rising demand, the integration of renewable energy and new digital security risks were adding to the challenges facing the grid.
“Our grid has to stay stable. So the level of investment has to match,” al Hadhrami said.
He described Oman Electricity Transmission Company’s planned investment over the next five years as “unprecedented”, with a “significant part” going towards batteries and storage.
Renewable energy’s share of the power mix rose from 2 per cent in 2021 to 9.46 per cent in 2025, he said, describing the increase as “gigantic steps”.
“By 2030 we are sure we are going to be at 30 per cent and we are challenging the system to 40 per cent,” he said, adding that the share was expected to reach 70 per cent by 2040.
The drive to diversify the energy mix and reduce environmental damage was “a cause worth pursuing, but with that comes a lot of challenges”, he said.
Solar generation presented particular operational challenges because “the sun is not in our control”.
“But what is in our control is to harness it with the right tools and engineering skills,” he said.
Hospitals, schools and public and private organisations expected electricity supplies to remain dependable as solar power was introduced, placing greater demands on the sector to adapt.
“So with that challenge, the industry has to transform itself, has to find the tools,” he said.
Despite those demands, al Hadhrami said he was assured “every single day” that the sector had “the right team on the ground” to build a reliable and sustainable future.
He also paid tribute to the teams maintaining the grid at its 50-hertz frequency, stressing that any disruption had consequences beyond technical reports.
“It’s a hospital that could stop working. It’s a school that could not be attended to. It’s power for an economy,” he said.
As new projects come on stream, society expects the grid to remain reliable and safe and to fulfil its role in supporting Oman Vision 2040, he added.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
