News

Sembcorp today celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its US$1 billion Salalah Independent Water and Power Plant (Salalah IWPP) in Oman. The ceremony was graced by H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Marhoon bin Ali Al Ma’amri, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar, Oman, the Guest of Honour, and witnessed by Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. They were joined by senior management representatives from Sembcorp and its partner in the project, the Oman Investment Corporation.

Targeted to begin full commercial operations in the first half of 2012, the Salalah IWPP will consist of a gas-fired power plant which will have a net capacity of 445 megawatts and a seawater desalination plant which will employ reverse osmosis technology to produce 15 million imperial gallons per day of water.

Commenting on the event, Dr Yaacob said, ""This is one of the largest utility projects that a Singapore company has clinched in the global market. Before this, Singapore companies had secured more than $130 million worth of contracts in Oman.  Sembcorp’s project represents the single largest stake by a Singapore company in Oman and increases our investments in Oman seven-fold.  It takes the close bilateral ties between Oman and Singapore to an even higher level.“

Sembcorp’s success in securing the project, which followed a competitive bidding process involving other global utilities companies, attests to its growing standing as an international energy and water player.

Mr Tang Kin Fei, Sembcorp’s Group President & CEO said, “We at Sembcorp are very happy to celebrate this important milestone for our first project in Oman. This facility will be the largest and most efficient power and water plant in Dhofar, and will play a major role in meeting the region’s growing power and water needs. Together with our partner, we are confident that that we can deliver the project successfully and contribute towards supporting the continued growth and development of the region.”

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ABOUT SEMBCORP INDUSTRIES

Sembcorp Industries is a leading utilities and marine group. With facilities with over 3,800 megawatts of installed power capacity and over 4 million cubic metres of water under management per day, Sembcorp is a trusted provider of essential energy and water solutions to customers in Singapore, China, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the Middle East. In addition, it is a world leader in marine and offshore engineering, as well as an established developer of integrated industrial townships in Asia.  
 
Sembcorp Industries has total assets of over S$9 billion and employs around 7,000 employees. Listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange, it is a component stock of the Straits Times Index and several MSCI indices.

Note to Editors: 
Following a company rebrand, please refer to the company as “Sembcorp” (with “S” in upper case and “c” in lower case), or “Sembcorp Industries” in full. Please also note that “Sembcorp” is not an abbreviation of “Sembawang Corporation” but a brand name in itself, and it is therefore incorrect to refer to our company as “Sembawang”, “Sembawang Corporation” or similar.

ABOUT SEMBCORP INDUSTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The Middle East is one of Sembcorp’s targeted regions for growth for its energy and water business. First announced in November 2009, the Salalah IWPP will be Sembcorp’s second combined power-and-desalination investment in the Middle East, where it has been operating since 2006.

Sembcorp’s first project in the Middle East was the Fujairah Independent Water and Power Plant (Fujairah IWPP) in the United Arab Emirates, which the company owns and operates. The facility incorporates the world’s largest operating hybrid desalination plant, and following its project completion in March 2009 after an expansion to its power capacity, the Fujairah IWPP now has a power generation capacity of 893 megawatts and a desalination capacity of 100 million imperial gallons of water per day.