Oman’s Manah II Solar Project Begins Commercial Operations

Sembcorp Utilities, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-headquartered Sembcorp Industries, last week announced the commencement of commercial operations at the 588MW Manah II Solar Independent Power Project (IPP) located in Manah, Oman.

This significant development follows the successful completion of a series of rigorous acceptance tests, which were previously announced by Sembcorp. The commencement of operations marks the formal start of electricity supply under a long-term, 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Nama Power and Water Procurement Company, Oman’s sole procurer of electricity and related water services.

Sembcorp confirmed that the acceptance tests were successfully completed in December 2024, enabling the project to achieve commercial operation status more than four months ahead of the originally scheduled timeline.

With a peak installed capacity of 588 megawatts, Manah II represents Sembcorp’s largest utility-scale solar project within its global renewable energy portfolio to date. The project significantly enhances Sembcorp’s well-established footprint in Oman’s power generation and water desalination sectors.

Notably, Manah II is the company’s first greenfield renewable energy development in the Middle East, underscoring its strategic expansion into the region.

‘The Manah II Solar Independent Power Project aligns closely with Oman Vision 2040 by supplying clean, sustainable energy to the national grid,” Sembcorp said in a press statement. ‘It plays a vital role in advancing the sultanate’s national ambition of sourcing 30% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by the year 2030.’

The Manah II project was awarded through a competitive bidding process by Nama Power and Water Procurement Company to the consortium known as Sembcorp Jinko Shine, a joint venture between Sembcorp Utilities and Jinko Power Technology. The consortium was tasked with the responsibility to build, own, and operate the Manah II solar project.

Sembcorp Industries is a global leader in sustainable solutions that support the ongoing energy transition and promote urban development. With its headquarters in Singapore, the company boasts a robust and diversified energy portfolio totalling 25.3 gigawatts (GW), which includes 17.2GW of gross renewable energy capacity spread across 11 countries.