Ras Al Khaimah’s new 84 MW Al Ghail Power Plant is set to start commercial production next week and will meet the energy needs of companies located at the Al Ghail Industrial Park.

The gas-based power plant, set up by Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia) has been successfully test fired and is ready to be connected to the grid powering the industrial park.

Rakia will also fully commission the 45-MW open cycle gas-fired power plant, Al Hamra- 1 within a week. The plant has already started supplying 22.5 MW of power using one of its two turbines.

The two new power plants were set up with a total investment of around $130 million. While the Al Ghail power plant would serve the industrial park, Al Hamra- 1 would supply power to Al Hamra Industrial Zone, Rakia Free Zone and new residential projects in Al Hamra Village.

Rakia has been fast tracking the implementation of the four new power projects it announced last year to meet the emirate’s surging energy needs.

“Rakia is making sincere efforts to enhance the emirate’s proven competitiveness in the industrial and manufacturing sectors by developing self sufficiency in power and water supplies,' N Zakkir Hussain, advisor, Power and Water Projects, Rakia, said.

'The two plants would contribute an additional 130 MW capacity to the emirate and Rakia is on track to meet its promise of providing reliable power and water availability to all investors,' he stated.

According to Hussain, the tendering process for the 120 MW Al Hamra- 2 power plant was in the final stages and the plant will be set up in 12 months time.

“The feasibility study for a 600 MW first phase of the coal- fired Mina Saqr power plant is also nearing completion. The Mina Saqr plant can be developed to have a maximum capacity of 3000 MW, based on the emirate’s future power requirements,” he added.

The government of Ras Al Khaimah through RAK Minerals and Metals Investments (RMMI) has made substantial investments in coal infrastructure in Indonesia to secure coal supplies to power the emirate’s energy needs.

Rakia has attracted over 1700 companies to its various industrial and free zones during the last three years.

Its 3 million sq m Al Hamra Industrial Zone has been completely leased out to 91 companies while the Al Hamra Free Zone, covering an areas of 1.95 million square metres, has been completely leased out to 117 companies.

The new Al Ghail Industrial Park, spanning 21 million square metres, is currently being leased and has attracted many leading international companies.-TradeArabia News Service