Marafiq, the power and water utility company for Jubail and Yanbu, hosted its second industrial customer gathering at its beach camp in Jubail Industrial City on Dec. 22 and at the Holiday Inn in Yanbu on Dec. 29. The get-together at both the locations were attended by presidents, CEOs and other top executives of the industries in Jubail and Yanbu who are all customers of Marafiq. The gathering was aimed at bringing Marafiq's customers updated with the current status of its power and water products and services, and to outline its expansion plans to provide for the expected steep growth in power and water demand in Jubail and Yanbu in the next few years. Addressing the gathering in Jubail Industrial City at Marafiq's Beach Camp, Thamer Al-Sharhan, Marafiq's president and CEO, highlighted the company's independent power and water plants (IWPPs) in Jubail and Yanbu. In Jubail, construction work is nearing completion for the 2,750 MW power plant and a desalination plant of 800,000 cubic meters per day. The Jubail IWPP of SR 12.8 billion will be the world's largest combined-cycle power and water plant. He said the Yanbu IWPP would produce 1700 MW of electricity and 150,000-cubic meter per day potable water. Feasibility study of the Yanbu IWPP was completed early this year and bidding process will be completed in 2009. The president said that Yanbu IWPP is expected to be commissioned in mid-2013. Al-Sharhan emphasized that massive capital expenditure of this nature called for highly accurate demand forecasts to ensure the best possible planning for least-cost delivery to Marafiq's customers. He pointed out that Marafiq was facing an increase in production cost and hoped that a balance could be established between utility tariffs, long-term sustainability and Marafiq's ability to invest in new infrastructure that would enable it to meet customers demand. The Jubail IWPP plant is scheduled to start production in a few months' time. Marafiq president said the company is committed to providing long-term solutions for its customers. “Long-term solutions will eventually ensure mutual growth and development,” he said, adding “customer satisfaction was the real indicator of Marafiq's growth.” The gathering gave its customers the opportunity to air their views and expectations and express any concerns they may have. The gathering provided a platform for open, transparent and objective interaction between Marafiq and its customers. The productive discussions at the gathering demonstrated the participants' firm intent to join hands in shaping the future of the industrial sector. Marafiq's first industrial customer gatherings in Jubail and Yanbu in 2007 were hugely successful. Top executives of the industries aired their views on the utility sector in the Kingdom and the pivotal role it played in the overall development of the country. They also commended Marafiq's initiative and said gatherings of such kind promoted two-way communication which would contribute to overall growth. Marafiq operates power generation, transmission and distribution systems, process and potable water systems, seawater cooling systems and industrial and sanitary wastewater treatment systems for industrial, commercial and residential customers in Yanbu and Jubail industrial cities.
