Gulf Construction Online - Dilmunia infrastructure work nears completion

Regional News

Officials pose in front of the Janoob Dilmunia substation at Dilmunia.

Dilmunia infrastructure work nears completion

01 November 2019

Ithmaar Development Company (IDC) has announced that steady progress is being made on its $1.6-billion mixed-use development Dilmunia in Bahrain with all infrastructure works nearing completion.

IDC said as part of the primary infrastructure works, it has successfully energised a second 66-kV primary substation (Janoob Dilmunia) within the development. Dilmunia’s first 66-kV primary substation was energised in August 2016, said IDC.

Similar to the first substation, the second substation has a capacity of 48 MVA. The 66-kV substation, which has been completed at a cost of BD5 million ($13.3 million), will cater to Phase Two and Three of the Dilmunia development. One more station will be established on the island to serve the final phase of the project, it added.

Dilmunia is a mixed-use development being built on a man-made island off the coast of Muharraq with a unique health and wellness anchor including residences, a hotel and leisure element and shopping districts anchored around a health and wellness cluster.

The development of the ambitious 125-hectare man-made island is being managed by IDC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank Ithmaar.

IDC pointed out that with this achievement, power supply is now available for all current developments on Dilmunia, and all others under planning or design and expected in the next three years.

Global engineering giant SNC Lavalin has been roped in as the design and supervision consultants for the plant equipment and cabling, while Ansari Engineering Services is responsible for the design and supervision consultancy of the substation civil building.

Dilmunia completed the second phase of its infrastructure works in December 2017, and awarded the third and final phase of infrastructure works in early 2018.

Fuji Electric of Japan was appointed in August 2017 for the plant and equipment manufacturing and delivery and Cebarco Bahrain were appointed in February 2018 for the substation civil and cabling works.

There are a number of developments that are currently under construction or in the building permit stage, among them are the Mall of Dilmunia which is expected to be complete by the end of 2019 and the Dilmunia Grand Canal in early 2020.

Commending Fuji, Cebarco Bahrain and the project supervision team on the timely completion of works, CEO Mohammed Khalil Alsayed said: “IDC is pleased to have reached another milestone in the continuing progress of Dilmunia and we are happy that the works proceeded smoothly on schedule.”

“With the completion of all the primary infrastructure phases expected by year-end and the construction of the second primary substation, we are ready to provide the power supply and the other services that meet our sales strategy and the expected developments,” he said.

“The next key step is to award the contract for the Grand Canal works shortly as the works have already been tendered for this,” he added.

Dilmunia offers a range of residential and commercial amenities, with developments completed including The Treasure by Bin Faqeeh Development Company, The Essence of Dilmunia by Ahmed Al Qaed Group, and Seavilla by IDC.

Projects under way include: CanalView by Naseej, The Hanging Gardens by Ahmed Al Qaed Group, Al Tijaria resort project (The Commercial Real Estate Development Company), The Breeze by Apex and the Mall of Dilmunia, a family-centric and entertainment facility.