The King of?Bahrain?has inaugurated the country?s largest independent power and water desalination plant, Al Dur, which can produce 1,234MW of power and 48 million gallons of desalinated water
Al Dur has been developed at a total cost of US$2.1 billion by International Power GDF SUEZ and Gulf Investment Corporation. It was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries and uses General Electric turbines for the two power blocks.
The Al Dur plant began full commercial operations in February 2012 and has been designed to help Bahrain meet growing local demand for both energy and water.
The Bahraini Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) will take all of the output under a 25-year power and water purchase agreement.
Commenting on the inauguration, Bahrain minister of electricity Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza said, ?We are confident that the launch of Al Dur, and its partnership with EWA, will ensure the stable and secure supply of power and water to support ongoing growth and diversification of the economy.?
According to International Power GDF Suez chief executive, Phillip Cox, the Al Dur plant will be the first in the region to use Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology, which is both more efficient and environment friendly than traditional?desalination?technologies.
