Muscat:The 5th edition of the Oman Electricity and Energy Conference began at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, drawing nearly 4,200 participants from 47 countries, along with over 80 expert speakers and sector leaders. The event aims to discuss energy transition pathways, enhance supply security, improve grid resilience, and develop electricity markets.
According to Oman News Agency, the conference is hosted by Nama Electricity Distribution Company in collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It is themed "Empowering Energy Future Energy Transition Pathways and Grid Resilience in an Increasingly Complex Environment."
Over the course of three days, discussions at the conference will revolve around six main pillars electricity markets, sustainable energy and storage, energy systems and grid solutions, distribution systems, energy efficiency, and asset management and performance optimization.
Mohsin Hamad Al Hadhrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, highlighted that Oman is strategically working to develop its electricity sector by diversifying production sources, expanding transmission and distribution networks, and enhancing the GCC interconnection. This approach is intended to solidify energy security and boost economic growth and investment attractiveness.
Al Hadhrami noted that electricity production in Oman reached nearly 50.97 Terawatt-hours in 2025, with a growth rate of 3.7 percent, and increased by 5.7 percent during the first half of 2026. He emphasized proactive planning to meet future demand and ensure supply reliability and economic efficiency.
Oman aims to increase the contribution of renewable energy from about 9 percent in 2025 to between 30 percent and 40 percent by 2030, reaching between 60 percent and 70 percent by 2040. This effort supports the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The reduction and avoidance of emissions in the energy sector have reached approximately 1.72 million tons of CO2 equivalent, with 31 projects being monitored and five completed by the end of the third quarter of 2026.
Eng. Alaa Hassan Musa, CEO of Nama Electricity Distribution Company, remarked that the energy sector's transition path in Oman is clear and tangible. Oman Vision 2040 provides an integrated framework to diversify energy sources, accelerate renewable energy deployment, enhance energy efficiency, and develop grid infrastructure, targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The conference sessions began with a panel discussion titled "Beyond the Crisis Rethinking Power Energy Security in Light of the Middle East Crisis," which examined lessons from recent geopolitical events and the evolution of energy security.
Technical sessions addressed developments in electricity markets, including regulatory transformations in the Omani electricity market, Oman's experience with International Renewable Energy Certificates, and financing the energy sector's transition. Other sessions focused on energy systems and grid solutions, such as the completion of the unified national grid and protection systems in digital substations.
An accompanying exhibition featured 75 local and international companies displaying technologies and solutions for electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and smart grids.
During the conference, Siemens of Germany signed four agreements with several public and private universities to train 500 students in electricity, energy, and grid protection fields. Additionally, the book "The Journey of Electricity from Power Plant to Home" by Dr. Ali bin Hamad Al Ghafri was launched to simplify and disseminate electrical concepts to various societal segments.