Oman to invest more than $6 bln on power generation

* username: rupertbu

Oman plans to spend more than $6 billion by 2016 on strengthening its capacity to generate electricity, including building a new plant, an official said in remarks carried by the sultanate's state news agency ONA.

Industrial and economic growth has boosted the need for electricity during the past decade to 3,808 megawatts, ONA said on Sunday, citing the chairman of state-run Public Authority for Electricity and Water, Mohammed al-Mahrouqi.

Oman has begun preparatory work on a 440 megawatt station scheduled to be ready in 2012, Mahrouqi said, adding the country planned to expand two other plants.