Work has begun on the primary substation serving the landmark Dilmunia, a health and well-being project in Bahrain, with the awarding of a supply and installation contract to global energy solutions provider Fuji Electric.

The 66 kV substation is a developmental milestone, as it will deliver electricity to roughly 40 per cent of the ambitious 125-hectare, $1.6 billion man-made island, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The civil works contract has been awarded to Bahrain-based contractor Cebarco, which has recently started work on the site that will accommodate the substation.

Japanese-based Fuji Electric will build the substation itself abroad and then deliver it to Bahrain in stages.

The energising of the primary substation will take place in the first quarter of 2015, in time for the completion of the Seavilla development, into which Dilmunia's first residents will move in during the third quarter.

Bahrain-based Ansari Engineering Services is responsible for the design works on the substation civil structure, while Montreal-based engineering and construction group SNC Lavalin provided electro-mechanical consultancy services and associated works. The total value of contracts related to the primary substation is almost $12.6 million.

Dilmunia is a project of master developer Ithmaar Development Company (IDC), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bahrain-based Ithmaar Bank, an Islamic retail bank traded on both the Bahrain Bourse and the Kuwait Stock Exchange.

Ithmaar is also the investment manager of the Dilmunia Fund, a real estate private equity fund dedicated to the development of Dilmunia.

IDC chief executive and board member Mohammed Khalil Alsayed said that the project is moving ahead even more swiftly than he had anticipated.

"We are pleased to have Fuji Electric with us on this important step towards the completion of this landmark, first-of-its-kind project," said Alsayed.

"Fuji Electric is known for innovating energy technology and making broad contributions worldwide to the fields of industrial and social infrastructure, and we are happy to have them onboard working with us," he said.

Alsayed added that IDC has been working hard to ensure the promised development deadlines are met and to date has achieved every one of the projected delivery milestones.

"In fact, interest from developers in Dilmunia has come faster than expected and this may actually move the timeline ahead a little bit in some areas," said Alsayed.

 "These new projects, when they materialise, will join the sold-out Temara and Seavilla residential project, as well as the planned shopping mall, our first third party developer Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Company's The Treasure residential development, and others already under way," he added.

Two additional substations are due to be built in Dilmunia at a later date. Together, these three substations will power all of the Dilmunia island. The Dilmunia is a mixed-use project built on a man-made island off the coast of Muharraq.

With a unique health and wellness anchor, Dilmunia will include residences, hotels, leisure and shopping districts, and provide residents and visitors with wellness facilities and spas in a state-of-the-art resort-type environment. It is located in close proximity to the Bahrain International Airport, with easy access to Saudi Arabia via the King Fahad Causeway. – TradeArabia News Service