Qatar’s electricity generation is poised for a major jump during the next few years. The country’s electricity generation is expected to increase to a burgeoning 193.5 percent before year 2018, which is almost top of the range for the Middle East/Africa (MEA) region. Qatar’s primary energy demand (PED) growth is set to increase from 23.0 percent in 2007-2012 to 30.1 percent, representing 68.0 percent for the entire forecast period. The award-winning Business Monitor International (BMI) forecast that the country will account for 1.79 percent of MEA regional power generation by 2012, having a broadly balanced market throughout the period. BMI’s MEA power generation estimate for 2007 was 1,117 terawatt hours (TWh), representing an increase 6.0 percent over the previous year. “Thermal power generation in 2007 is estimated by BMI at 971 TWh, accounting for 86.9 percent of the total electricity supplied in the region. BMI’s forecast for 2012 is 1,308 TWh, implying 34.7 percent growth that reduces slightly the market share of thermal generation to 86.5 percent--thanks in par to environmental promoting renewables, hydro-electricity and nuclear generation. Qatar’s thermal generation in 2007 was 16.3 TWh, or 1.68 percent of the regional total. By 2012, the country is expected to account for 2.06 percent of thermal generation”, BMI’s Qatar Power Report Q4 2008 said. Qatar has been ranked third in BMI’s updated Power Business Environment rating, mainly because of its modest market size, low level of energy import dependency and particularly low proportion of renewables use. The power sector is competitive, with good progress toward privatisation. The regulatory environment remains relatively unattractive. The BMI report expects Qatar’s population to expand from 850,000 to 950,000 over the period, with GDP per capita and electricity consumption per capita forecast to increase significantly. The country’s power consumption is expected to increase from 16 TWh in 2007 to 29 TWh by the end of the forecast period, providing a reasonably balanced market that may require occasional import top-ups to meet peak demand-assuming 10.2 percent annual growth in generating capacity. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=January2009&file=Local_News200901132205.xml

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