Page 202 - Bahrain Gov annual reports (V a)_Neat

i

82
Future Prospects. The demand for electric power in Bahrain is almost insatiable. This
year the consumption has again increased by almost 45 per cent, and new applications were
received demanding 5,037 k.w. additional load in Manama and Muharraq alone. To this
figure must be added the power required for distribution to all the towns and villages catered
for by the new scheme and it is estimated that the 4,000 k.w. now being installed in the new
Power Station will be absorbed during the next two years and that an additional 4,000 k.w. of
generating capacity will be required to be in commission by May 1957, followed by a further
4.000 k.w. by May, 1958.
It is proposed that these generators will be driven by Gas Turbines and that they should be
in units of 4,000 k.w. each. The new Power Station has been designed so that it can be easily
extended to accommodate this future plant and the new transmission lines arc capable of
transmitting some 40,000 k.w., so that the country’s future power supply is substantially assured.
Early next year the Government's Contractors, Messrs. D. and C. and William Press Ltd.,
will commence installing electricity supplies in East Rafa’a, Hidd and several of the larger
villages and it is expected that a large proportion of the work involved will be completed by the
end of 1955.
In order to implement, without delay, this large extension of the public electricity supply,
it will be necessary for local merchants and electrical contractors to import large quantities
of electrical accessories, cables, and lamps, etc., and it is estimated that the value of these goods
could exceed Rs. 25,00,000/- during the years 1955 to 1958, during which time approximately
5.000 new consumers will require their houses to be wired and connected to the new distribution
systems, which will be erected in some 14 towns and villages in which public electricity supplies
have not previously been available.
Some consideration has been given to the use of natural gas for cooking and heating in
domestic premises and it is proposed to install a small pilot scheme at Suk A1 Khamis where the
Government is developing a new housing area. Gas has never previously been used in this
country by the local inhabitants and this scheme will be carefully controlled in order to attain
successful and safe utilization.

Workshops Department. This department continued to carry out new work and repairs
for all Government Departments and many private jobs were undertaken for local firms.
Work for the Government produced a revenue of Rs. 38,998/- while private jobs produced
Rs. 10,314/- showing an overall profit of Rs. 8,194/-. During next year this Department will
be absorbed into the Electricity Department.

Transport Department. During the year there was once again a large increase in the
number of vehicles, and items of mechanical plant and equipment, operated by Government
Departments. The total number of units maintained and serviced by the Department at the
end of 1954 was 244, an increase of more than one-third over the previous year. Several extra
items of building and civil engineering plant, both large and small, were purchased by the
Public Works Department. To cope with this increase a separate plant repair section was
formed within the Department, under the control of a Palestinian plant engineer and a special
workshop was built incorporating a room for the maintenance and repair of diesel fuel injection
equipment.
Despite many improvements in the standard of maintenance and repair over the past three
and a half years, transport and mechanical equipment costs continue to remain high. Two
factors are involved.
(1) The capital outlay for the replacement of vehicles and plant.
(2) The cost of maintenance and repairs.
It is felt that these costs could be considerably reduced, if the operators of the vehicles and
machines would pay more attention to the standard of driving by their employees and also if
stricter control was exercised by them, with regard to driver’s care and maintenance duty. The
1 standard of driving, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired and it is the exception rather than
the rule, for a Government vehicle, afte r six months of service from new, not to bear the scars
of a traffic mishap. A large proportion of repair work carried out by the Department is to
rectify damage caused by accidents.

s
• i