DOHA: Ever since its inception in 2009, the GCC power grid has helped prevent more than a thousand power outages in the region, according to a Bahraini minister.
“The regional electricity grid has helped us avert some 1,073 blackouts that would have been caused due to power outages in the region during the peak summer months,” said Dr Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza, Bahrain’s Minister of State for Electricity and Water.
Work on the second phase of the grid is on and when completed, the grid will provide power for commercial use in the region.
GCC member-countries that have surplus electricity would be able to sell the surplus through the grid, said the minister in remarks to Bahrain News Agency (BNA) yesterday, regional news website, arqaam.com reports.
This (the second phase) will immensely benefit the region economically.
Mirza described the GCC grid as a remarkable achievement for the member-states and reiterated that it helps the countries particularly during summer months when the demand for power peaks.
Mirza was speaking to BNA on the sidelines of an event in Manama.
He said whenever the power ministers of the GCC meet they discuss their country’s electricity production and requirements.
“We have already discussed future production and demand and have figures for the region’s expected production capacity in 2018-19.”
According to Mirza, when the second phase of the GCC grid is over, work on the proposed Arab-wide power grid would begin.
This grid would then be linked to Europe. The good thing is that the demand for electricity peaks in Europe during the winter months, whereas in the GCC region, the peak season is the sizzling summer time. “So, in winter we would be able to supply surplus power to Europe while they would reciprocate in summer,” Mirza was quoted as saying.
The Peninsula
