Here you can browse past OABC events and recent news. Members, please contact us to share your own company promotions and news, as we love to highlight what our members are doing.

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Following Oman’s 2018 state budget announcement, we are pleased to attach PwC’s summary. As anticipated, the budget continues to focus on economic diversification and fiscal discipline in addition to supporting government initiatives such as the Tanfeeth programme and the development of public-private partnership projects, to stimulate economic growth and sustain employment.

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Renewable energy project will be structured under the independent power producer model

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is planning to develop a 100MW photovoltaic (PV) solar plant at Amin, located in the southern region of the sultanate.

Developers have been invited to submit expressions of interest by 31 January for the 100MW solar project, with the client planning to receive bids in May 2018.

The solar plant is planned to be PDO’s first independent power producer (IPP) project. PDO will be the sole off-taker for the project, and will buy all of the electricity produced by the solar farm.

The contract will involve the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the solar plant for the duration of the power purchase agreement (PPA), which will be for a period of 23 years.

State utility Oman Power & Water Company (OPWP) is also moving ahead with plans to develop solar energy on a large-scale as part of the sultanate’s plans to diversify its energy resources.

In December, OPWP issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a photovoltaic (PV) solar independent power project in Ibri, which is about 300 kilometres inland from Muscat. The proposed plant with have a power generation capacity of 500 MW

OPWP says that the RFQ is for developers and is not applicable for engineering, procurement and construction contractors.

The closing date for submitting documents is the 22 February 2018.

MEED reported in early November that OPWP had appointed Germany’s Fichtner and the UK’s DLA Piper as the technical and legal advisers for the scheme. In October, MEED reported that OPWP had appointed US/India’s Synergy Consulting as financial adviser for the solar project.

The proposed IPP will be the second utility-scale renewables project planned in Oman, with the UAE’s Masdar announcing in 2014 it was planning to develop a 50MW wind farm in the southern part of the sultanate in partnership with the local Rural Areas Electricity Company (Raeco).

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The OABC hosted a very special Christmas dinner at the Crowne Plaza, Muscat on December 12th.  New and old members came together for a time of networking, Christmas music and excellent food.  Emmee Haun, co-founder of the OABC, shared a brief welcome and thanked members for making 2017 such an important year for the organization.  If you didn’t make it to this event, we hope we will see you next Christmas for gingerbread, mince pies and turkey.

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The Oman American Business Center (OABC), in partnership with Riyada and SAS for Entrepreneurship, hosted its 8th Speed Networking for companies of all sizes to come together and connect with possible business partners. Sponsored by Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world, the event was being held at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre.

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The Discover America Event, a two week long initiative of the US Embassy, Lulu Hypermarket, and Oman Avenues Mall.  The OABC was honored to host a networking event as part of the first day’s launch: a special evening in the Sky Lounge Balcony at Avenues Mall.
This room had a gorgeous view overlooking the city, and students from the National Hospitality Institute created American-themed canapés using ingredients from Lulu, the sponsor of the evening. Every ingredient highlighted was a US import: from seedless watermelon to the dates guests were welcomed to try!
Ms. Stephanie Hallett, the new Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy, thanked the event’s partners and explained more about Discover America.
Following the DCM’s presentation, Robert MacLean, Principal of the National Hospitality Institute, shared about the important work of raising up Omani students to work in hospitality and tourism.  His brief overview also pointed out that every server for the evening was a current trainee at NHI, and all had already secured employment post-graduation from the program.  Many guests commented afterwards about further interest in NHI and desire to attend NHI events in the future. We thank Lulu and Oman Avenues Mall for their sponsorship, and the US Embassy for their hard work highlighting American companies and brands for 2 weeks.
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