Oman has floated a pre-qualification tender to build an independent power project (IPP) with a generation capacity of 750-850 megawatt in Misfah – just over 30 kilometres from Muscat International Airport. As planned, the award of the project is expected by the fourth quarter of 2017 and the project will be commercially operational by the first quarter of 2021. Oman’s peak average annual growth in power demand for the next seven years within the areas of main inter-connected system (MIS) is projected to be 8%, rising from 5,565 megawatt (MW) in 2015 to 9,529 MW in 2022, according to the seven-year outlook for power demand released by the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP). (Times of Oman)