Oman’s Rural Areas Electricity Company (RAEC) is still evaluating bids for two contracts to operate and maintain rural power stations in the sultanate.

Raeco received bids from power companies in December, and as of 30 January the client was still evaluating the proposals.

Raeco operates outside the sultanate’s two main grid systems, the Muscat Interconnected System (MIS) and the Salalah system. Raeco currently owns about 50, mainly diesel fired, power plants which primarily serve the northern Musandam area and the central Al-Wusta governorates.

RAEC is also currently evaluating bids for the contract to rehabilitate and upgrade the Saih al-Khairat power station in the Dhofar governorate.

RAEC received bids for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract in early December, and is currently evaluating the proposals.

The Dhofar governorate is part of the sultanate’s Salalah grid system, which covers the southern areas of Oman. There are about 70,000 electricity customers in the area. The system comprises an integrated generation, transmission and distribution system, which is owned and operated by the Dhofar Power Company.