Bahrain is set to launch a major 400 kV electricity transmission line aimed at reducing short circuits and ensuring transfer of electricity from the production plants to load centres across the kingdom, said a report.

The BD180-million ($474 million) project, implemented by the German company Siemens at the Hidd Power Station, will be inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on Wednesday (May 11), reported the BNA.

Energy Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said this was one of the vital projects implemented by the Electricity and Water Authority. The next few years, he said, will see three major electricity transfer stations also being built.

According to him, the project aims to meet all the needs of development and facilitate the exchange of electric power with the GCC network.

Prysmian Group, from Italy, and another company from Japan will be supplying the transmission lines for the project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of next year. Korean company Hyundai is supplying the transformers.