In implementation of a royal order by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to designate this year as the "Year of Isa Al Kabeer", in commemoration of the founder of the modern state and leader of institutional development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Highness Isa Al Kabeer, Ruler of Bahrain and its Dependencies, and on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, inaugurated the 400 kV Al Jasra power station, the largest electricity transmission station in the Kingdom.

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah congratulated His Majesty the King and to HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister on the completion of this major national project, which adds to the Kingdom’s record of development achievements.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the opening of Al Jasra station marks a major milestone in the development of the national electricity grid, which dates back to 1930 when Manama became the first Gulf capital to receive electricity. This development began during the era of HH Isa Al Kabeer and has continued from the Ras Ruman station to the opening of Bahrain’s largest station.

He added that this progress reflects Bahrain’s continued commitment to modernisation and development under the leadership of His Majesty the King and the directives of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to enhance national infrastructure and support sustainable development.

Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah noted that the project plays a key role in enhancing the stability of the national electricity grid and increasing operational capacity to support urban and investment growth, improve service quality, and meet current and future demand efficiently and reliably.

He also said the project’s completion to international standards, in cooperation with leading global companies, reflects Bahrain’s advanced capabilities in managing and delivering major energy projects, supporting the national economy and attracting large-scale investment.

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, President of the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), and the staff for their efforts in delivering this strategic project on schedule and to high technical standards, commending the competence of national teams and their coordination with relevant authorities.

On his part, Kamal bin Ahmed expressed gratitude to HM the King and to HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for their continued support, which has enabled the EWA to implement strategic projects and enhance the reliability and sustainability of electricity and water services.

He also thanked Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah for inaugurating the project and for his close follow-up through the Ministerial Committee for Development and Infrastructure Projects, which gave the project high priority and addressed challenges to ensure timely delivery.

The EWA President explained that the project included the construction of a 400/220 kV transmission station in Al Jasra, the installation of more than 120 kilometres of 400 kV high-voltage cables and around 96 kilometres of 220 kV cables, and their integration into the national grid.

He added that the project upgrades the Gulf Cooperation Council interconnection from 200 kV to 400 kV, increasing interconnection capacity with GCC countries from 926 to 1,359 megawatts, improving energy exchange efficiency and grid stability.

He said the project also increases total transformer capacity from 975 MVA to 2,000 MVA, reducing electrical loads in the Riffa area by up to 25% and directly enhancing transmission network reliability.

He noted that Al Jasra station is one of Bahrain’s major national projects, delivered in cooperation with leading international companies through integrated packages covering substations, switchgear, transformers, reactors, high-voltage cables, consultancy services and engineering supervision, in line with the highest international technical standards.