Oman’s 120MW Jaalan Bani Bu Ali (JBB) wind independent power project (IPP) has reached financial close, according to the consortium developing the project.

The project is being developed by a consortium comprising French firm EDF Power Solutions, Oman’s Al-Khadra Partners and OQ Alternative Energy.

Located in South Al-Sharqiyah Governorate, about 440 kilometres from the Port of Duqm, the project will comprise 16 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 7.7MW.

Commercial operations are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027. The JBB project is EDF Power Solutions’ first wind project in Oman.

Oman’s Nama Power & Water Procurement (Nama PWP) signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to develop, finance, build and operate the project last December.

As exclusively reported by MEED, a consortium of Chinese companies also signed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the plant that same month.

The consortium comprises China Energy Engineering Corporation, PowerChina, East China Electric Power Design & Research Institute and Hunan Thermal Power, all headquartered in Beijing.

Once operational, the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to supply more than 13,500 Omani households annually. It is also expected to avoid more than 270,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

The project supports Oman’s target of increasing the share of renewable energy in its national electricity mix to at least 30% by 2030. It also supports the country’s Net Zero 2050 target.

In May, Muscat-based Monenco Consulting Engineers won a consultancy contract for a grid station project linked to the Jaalan Bani Bu Ali wind farm project.

The contract was awarded by China Energy Engineering Corporation, the lead EPC contractor for the Jaalan Bani Bu Ali IPP.

The scope includes engineering and detailed design consultancy services for the grid station and associated overhead line linked to the wind farm, which is expected to begin construction by the end of the third quarter.