JEDDAH: The largest water and power event in the Kingdom, WEPower 2011, has announced it has the support and principle sponsorship of Saudi Aramco. The exhibition is officially supported by the Ministry of Water and Electricity. Alian Marhic, the event director, told Saudi Gazette in a telephonic interview, that meeting the growth in demand for water and power in the Kingdom is currently a key government priority. WEPower represents a key platform for all industry professionals to gather at a crucial investment period, he added. “WEPower 2011 will focus on scores of challenges and opportunities in the water sector of the Kingdom including regulation and privatization of the water and power sectors and power generation requirements.” Other renewable energy opportunities like solar and nuclear will also be explored. He added that the event is an excellent opportunity for local and international investors. “I actively encourage all those who are interested in this field to get involved and I also urge the top authorities like the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), the National Water Company, Saline Water Conversion Corporation and Electricity Cogeneration Regularity Authority to support the event,” he said. Musaab Al-Mulla, Head of the Energy and Cogeneration group in Power Systems Planning at Saudi Aramco, said that a great deal will be invested in water projects over the next 15 years. The Kingdom has SR46 billion set aside for this year, Al-Mulla noted. He said that 70 percent of the upcoming projects over the next 15 years will be for sewage and water treatment.
