Fire And Water

What are the responsibilities of KAHRAMAA in the national network of utilities?

KAHRAMAA has the privilege of being the sole transmission and distribution system owner and operator (TDSOO) for the electricity and water sector in Qatar. The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, or KAHRAMAA, was established in July 2000 based Law 10 to regulate and maintain the supply of electricity and water to customers. Core areas of business related to buying, distributing, and selling electricity and water include: formulating power and water purchase agreements (PWPA) and providing the necessary technical and corporate support for the establishment of generation and desalination ventures; owning, constructing, and operating electricity and water transmission and distribution networks in the State of Qatar; setting up plans and programs for the development of electricity and water transmission and distribution networks; laying out regulations, standards, and codes of practice for electricity and water supplies to buildings and facilities; providing consultancy services related to its activities and operations; and regulating cooling services.

In May 2014, KAHRAMAA ordered Phase 11 of the national network expansion to the value of $2.2 billion. How does this project fit into the larger scale of utility expansions?

KAHRAMAA’s electricity and water transmission and distribution network expansion plans are made based on the following criteria: demand growth, reinforcements, and the replacement of old and aging equipment. However, there are yearly updates on the expansion plans for the electricity and water networks as KAHRAMAA has five-year rolling plans that are updated every year. In 2014-15, KAHRAMAA announced Phase 12 for electricity transmission network expansion and also announced Water MEGA reservoirs, with its associated main piping network to increase the state’s water storage capacity.

Electricity generation capacity has grown rapidly to 8,755 MW in 4Q2013. Is there an imminent need to further increase this when taking into account preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

KAHRAMAA forecasts its demand 10 years ahead of time and all the required generation capacity expansion plans are executed at the right time considering all the main national events and the growth in demand, all while maintaining the required supply reliability and security. Facility D is expected to see its first production in 2017 and full production in 2018. Special arrangements for the World Cup are already in place.

Sustainability in both energy and water is essential to the future of Qatar. What initiatives have you forwarded to promote this and how are they received by the people?

There are many initiatives that KAHRAMAA has initiated to promote sustainability within its activities and services, including: the Tarsheed program to reduce by 20% and 35% electricity and water consumption, respectively, within five years; introducing solar energy usage on KAHRAMAA premises to generate about 200 MW before 2022; implementing smart grids to adopt any new renewable energies; loss reduction; and coordinating with local government and the private sector on renewables.

What are the specific objectives for KAHRAMAA over the next five years?

KAHRAMAA aims to excel at customer services, provide high-quality water and electricity, increase social advocacy and environmental compliance, promote regulatory changes in the energy, water, and district cooling markets, strengthen financial performance, improve corporate governance and risk management, enhance processes and systems, optimize asset performance, attract, develop, and retain a high-performing workforce and support Qatarization, and ensure a safe and healthy working environment.

How does the Qatar National Vision 2030 inspire you in managing KAHRAMAA?

In recognition of the importance of meeting the state’s expectations of a well-structured and managed electricity and water sector capable of meeting the Qatar National Vision 2030 challenges, KAHRAMAA has refreshed and launched a strategy to ensure full alignment and support for the vision and ensure that it can continue to provide a safe, high quality, and efficient supply of electricity and water well into the future. The strategy has been developed based on careful consideration and vision. It has also taken into account the perspective of KAHRAMAA’s key stakeholders, and consideration of other key national and sector-level strategies, including the Qatar National Master Plan, relevant reports by the Economic Infrastructure Taskforce, and the Qatar Natural Resources Strategy.