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EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power Company inaugurate Sultanate of Oman’s largest Solar Power Plant
- Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham al Said unveils the 500-megawatt (MW) Manah 1 Independent Power Project (IPP), ready to supply clean, carbon-free electricity to the Omani national grid
- Omani solar power plant will power over 60,000 homes and help avoid over 780,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year
- 1 million bi-facial solar panels installed on single-axis trackers, maximising generation
Muscat; January 22nd, 2025: France’s EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) shareholders of Wadi Noor Solar Power Company SAOC [MANAH 1]; together with the procurer Nama Power and Water Procurement Company (NAMA PWP) have launched Oman’s largest solar power plant Manah I during an official ceremony.
The 500 MW Manah 1 Solar PV project was inaugurated by HH Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, and in the presence of number of senior officials from the government of Sultanate of Oman and representatives from the developers.
Located 170 kilometers North from Muscat city, in the Ad Dhakiliyah governorate, the landmark Manah 1 solar power plant has a contracted generation capacity of 500 MW. The mega solar park is built to generate enough electricity to power over 60,000 Omani households, avoiding 780,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, thus strengthening the energy security and sustainability in the Sultanate of Oman.
Manah 1 (Wadi Noor Solar Power Company SAOC) has two shareholders with 50% stake each: the leading French developer EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO). The plant is a benchmark for the Oman solar market deploying 1 million state-of-the-art bifacial PV modules mounted on a single axis tracker system, ensuring sunlight is captured on both sides of the panels, and following the solar path to maximizes yield. Moreover, the plant covers a total area of 7.8 square kilometers and uses automated dry-cleaning robots, enhancing the clean electricity generation, and avoiding the use of water for sustainability purposes.
The electricity demand in the Main Interconnected System (MIS) of Oman grew at an average annual rate of 2.7% in less than 7 years. Additionally, in 2024, the peak demand reached around 7,500 MW. This project will help meet this growing electricity demand in the Sultanate of Oman. Following the successful execution of Manah 1, the capacity of the renewables in the country doubled from 550MW to 1,050MW. The project supported numerous initiatives to empower Omani youth by creating job opportunities, introducing advanced technological systems, and contributing to in-country value (ICV), as well as implementing the highest standards for Health and Safety leading to zero lost time incident rate (LTIR) since the start of construction.
The project marks a significant step in enhancing the renewable energy contribution and nation’s energy security, while demonstrating the country’s longstanding commitment to decarbonisation and sustainability.
Cedric Le Bousse, Executive VP International Operations of EDF Renewables, said: "We are proud to celebrate the inauguration of the Manah I Solar Plant in Oman, a significant milestone achieved thanks to the strong support of local authorities, NAMA Power and Water Procurement, and the outstanding dedication of the project team and our partner KOWEPO. EDF is proud to contribute to Oman’s renewable energy journey, aligning with our vision of a carbon-neutral future that combines economic growth and environmental sustainability. To reach this goal, the Sultanate of Oman embraces a mix of solutions, including renewables, energy efficiency and green hydrogen. We are committed to play a pivotal role in supporting the Sultanate’s energy transition aligned with Oman Vision 2040."
Jungbok Lee, CEO of KOWEPO, said: "Today, we take yet another significant step toward Oman’s sustainable energy future. KOWEPO is honored to be part of the journey to achieve the ambitious goals of Oman Vision 2040. The successful completion of this project was made possible by the strategic leadership of the Omani government and NAMA PWP, the dedicated efforts of our outstanding partner, EDF Renewables, and the active support of the Republic of Korea's government.
This project goes beyond the completion of a solar power plant—it stands as a symbol of the sustainable energy future that Oman and KOWEPO are building together. Moving forward, KOWEPO will continue to build on this partnership to contribute to Oman’s energy security and green transition, while fulfilling our role as a global leader in renewable energy."
Factsheet of Manah I Solar IPP at a glance Total land area | 7.8 million square meters |
Contracted capacity | 500 MW |
Power supply to households | 60,000 |
Carbon emissions reduction | 780,000 tonnes Annually |
Solar panels installed | 1 million bi-facial photovoltaic solar panels |
Robot cleaning system | 1200 cleaning robots |
HSE | 0 LTIR |
About MANAH I and its shareholders:
About Wadi Noor Solar Power Company SAOC
For more information please visit: www.wadinoorsolar.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solar-power-company22/
For media contacts: Alexandra.taleva@edf.com, +971 54 522 73 73 and Yahya.alrawahi@wadinoorsolar.com
About EDF Renewables
EDF Renewables is an international energy company which develops, builds and operates renewable power generation plants.
As a major player in the energy transition worldwide, EDF Renewables deploys, within EDF, competitive, responsible and value-creating projects.
In every country, our teams show their commitment to local stakeholders every day, adding their expertise and capacity for innovation to the fight against climate change.
At the end of 2023, EDF Renewables operates a net installed wind and solar capacity of 12.8 GW (21.2 GW gross) worldwide.
Mainly present in Europe and North America, EDF Renewables is pursuing its development by taking a position in promising emerging markets such as: Brazil, China, India, South Africa and in the Middle East. Historically active in onshore wind and photovoltaics, the Company is now strongly positioned on offshore wind and floating wind as well as in new technologies such as energy storage, floating solar and agrivoltaism.
For more information: www.edf-renouvelables.fr and www.mea-edf-re.com
Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/edf-renewables-middle-east and on X @EDF_Renewables English.
For media contacts: Alexandra.taleva(@)edf.com, +971 54 522 73 73
About KOWEPO
Korea Western Power Co., Ltd.(KOWEPO), a leading supplier and innovator in the 21st century Korean power industry, was established in April 2001 as a state-run power generation company. KOWEPO operates a thermal and combined cycle power plant capacity of 12 GW, which is approximately 9% of the national generation. KOWEPO has been expanding power generation business worldwide with the support of world-class power generation operation and development experience. Today, KOWEPO is producing high-quality and clean energy while expanding overseas business not only to Asian countries including Middle East but also to countries in Oceania, the Americas, Europe and Africa.
For more information please visit: www.iwest.co.kr/sites/eng/index.do
