Page 384 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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ELECTRICITY AND THE STATE ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT
The electrification of Manama was begun in 1346 (1927-28) and the power house was opened
by His Highness Shaikh Hamcd in 1347 (September 1929). Before then was an age of oil lamps,
hand pulled punkahs and houses with windows in every wall intended to provide draughts. In 1348
the supply of electricity was extended to Muharraq by means of a submarine cable across the deep
water channel between the two islands. The site chosen for the power house was the nearest point
in Manama to the town of Muharraq and on the sea shore. A site on the shore was necessary because
oil fuel was bought from the Anglo Iranian Oil Co., and discharged from a little tanker boat through
a short pipe line from a pumping wharf in the sea into the storage tanks at the power house. This
was before oil had been discovered in Bahrain. The power house, plant and installation were supplied
and put in by Callenders Cable & Construction Company at the cost of £20,607, the Muharraq extension
cost another £6,000. Two Mirrlees Diesel oil engines of 150 B.H.P. each supplied the power. The
possibility of the electric undertaking being run as a public company in which the Government,
the two municipalities and the public would have shares was considered but finally the capital was
provided by the Government and Municipalities in the proportion of 60%, 20% and 20%. After
some years, during most of which time the electric undertaking was run at a loss, the Government
acquired by purchase the shares of the two municipalities.

During the first five years the total loss on the electric scheme amounted to Rs. 1,31,000 in­
cluding depreciation. The first year in which any profit was made was 1354 (1935-36), during the
following ten years the undertaking was financially successful but in 1365 it was again run at a loss.
From 1350 (1931) Mr. W. B. Steele, who had previously belonged to Callenders, was in charge
of the Electric Department, he was succeeded in 1363 (1944) by Group Captain H.P.G. Leigh as
State Engineer.

The present telephone system was put in during 1351 (1936-37). The equipment was bought
in India, some of it being second hand, but at various times new material was added to the system.
It began with 12 lines but by 1364 (1945) there were over 100 subscribers. The yearly rent for a tele­
phone, with unlimited calls, was Rs. 125. For many years the telephone system was not a profitable
undertaking for the State but it was installed in the first place mainly as a means of communication
between Government offices and departments. The introduction of an automatic system was first
contemplated in 1355 (1936-37) but for various reasons no action was taken before the war and
during the war the change over was not possible.

By 1356 (1937-38) the demand for electricity had increased sufficiently to warrant the purchase
of another generating set for which space had been allowed when the power house was planned. A
six cylinder 300 B.H.P. generating set was ordered through Callenders, it arrived and was installed
in the following year.
The responsibilities of the State Engineer, who in the beginning was concerned only with the
electric work, gradually increased and his department undertook a variety of duties which had no
connection with electricity, these included oil gauging at Sitra, the supervision of the Technical
School, registration of motor vehicles and testing of drivers and cars, fire services and the care of all
Government vehicles.

Air conditioning was first used in Manama in 1357 (1938-39). The Government bought a
number of Air Conditioning units which were installed in houses by the Electric Department. During
the war, owing to the difficulty in obtaining gas and spare parts, many of these units ceased to function.
Refrigerators, which were also introduced in the first place by the electric department, were more
successful. The municipal ice plant was transferred to a building near the power house and until
it was finally disposed of it was worked by the Power House staff. For some years after the electric
undertaking was started all wiring was carried out by the Government, later on several local firms
were given licenses for wiring, subject to supervision by the State Engineer.

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