A committee comprising members from the Ministry of Water, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) and the Saudi Standards, Meteorology and Quality Organization is monitoring potable water providers to ensure hygiene and safety, said Minister of Water and Electricity Engineer Abdullah Al-Hussayen Saturday.Addressing a workshop on financing the power sector's investments in the Kingdom held in cooperation with the World Bank here Saturday, the minister spoke of a plan to establish a solar-energy-based desalination plant. The ministry is also working with the Electricity Generation Regulatory Authority and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation on a long-term plan to boost electricity production. Al-Hussayen said the yearly electricity demand has reached 8 percent while the power generation capacity reached 40,000 Megawatts this year. Several electricity generation projects worth SR85 billion are now being implemented, he said, adding that the sector needs during the next 10 years SR300 billion in investments to enhance power generation and distribution. The Kingdom has taken steps to involve the private sector in building, owning and operating power generation stations. The projects include Rabigh, Riyadh and Al-Qairya stations which will begin operating in 2013, 2013 and 2015 respectively.
