The QR11bn Umm Al Houl Integrated Water and Power Project (IWPP), scheduled to generate 2,520 MW of power and 156 million gallon water per day, would be fully ready in the third quarter of 2018, it was announced.

Located more than 10km south of Al Wakrah town alongside the seacoast, the foundation stone for the massive project was formally laid by HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.

"The project, using environment friendly reverse osmosis technology, will start generating 40 million gallons of desalinated water daily from April 13, 2017 and power from July 1 the same year. The second phase of water generation may start on May 31, 2017," HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed Saleh al-Sada said at the function.

The main stakeholders in the Built-Own-Operate and Transfer venture are Qatar Electricity and Water Company (60%), Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (5%), Qatar Petroleum (5%), Mitsubishi Corporation and Tokyo Electric Power Company(30%).

While recalling the strides made by Qatar to boost its power and water sectors in the last one decade, HE Dr al-Sada said along with already commissioned Ras Abu Fontas A2 and A3, the Umm Al Houl IWPP would ensure uninterrupted supply of desalinated potable water to meet the growing needs and requirements of the country's people and industries.

"The location of the IWPP in Umm Al Houl was chosen after several rounds of elaborate studies and deliberations in view of the comparatively lesser salinity of water in the sea in its immediate neighbourhood. The location is also near many of the major infrastructural and industrial developments in the country's southern areas.

While hailing the farsightedness and vision of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and guidance of HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Dr al-Sada said the timely moves initiated under their wise leadership have helped the country meet its water and power requirements in an impeccable manner.

When completed, the plant in Umm Al Houl will meet 22% of the electricity and approximately 25% of the water requirements of the country, according to HE Dr al-Sada, who also added that the new facility is a clear example of the private sector's active participation in the country's infrastructural development.

Qatar Electricity and Water Company general manager and Umm Al Houl IWPP chairman Fahd Mohamed al-Mohannadi and Mitsubishi Corporation executive vice president and Regional CEO Nakanishi Katsuya also spoke.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud and former Energy and Industry Minister and Deputy Prime Minister HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah also attended the ceremony.