Eng Yahya al Rawahi has been appointed as a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the newly launched Wadi Noor Solar Power Company (WNSPC). The firm is the joint venture, that is responsible for the implementation of a new 500 MW solar PV based Independent Power Project (IPP) at Manah in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate.
The project is also known as ‘Manah I Solar IPP’ and is in the early stages of construction in the Wilayat of Manah – one of two identical solar PV schemes that will be built side by side to create Oman’s biggest grid-connected renewable energy project with a combined capacity of 1,000 MW.
The firm said that prior to joining Manah-1, Eng Al Rawahi, a veteran of Oman’s nascent renewable energy industry, had helmed a number of pioneering solar PV projects in the Sultanate of Oman, including the 100 MW Amin Renewable Energy project of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and more recently the 500 MW grid-connected solar project of Shams Ad-dhahira Generating Company SAOC (SAGC) in Ibri.
As per the local daily, the join venture said in a post, “Today, we welcome Eng Yahya Al Rawahi as the new Chief Executive Officer at Wadi Noor Solar Power Company. Eng Yahya brings a wealth of experience and leadership to our organisation, with a proven track record in the solar industry. His arrival marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our company.”
It may be noted that in May this year, Nama Power and Water Procurement (PWP), the national buyer of electricity and water output, signed agreements with Wadi Noor Solar for the development of Manah I Solar IPP with an investment of around $460 million. The partnership comprises EDF Renewables Middle East, the regional arm of leading international energy giant EDF Renewables, and Korea Western Power Co Ltd, a key player in South Korea’s power sector.
The work on the facility is expected to begin from December 1, 2023. After its completion in March 2025, it will generate enough renewable electricity to power an estimated 75,000 homes, while also offsetting over 1,100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year.
