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The Sultanate of Oman is poised to take a significant leap forward in its electricity generation capabilities.

In a major development announced on June 30, 2026, Siemens Energy secured a pivotal role in supplying vital power generation technology for two new facilities. The company will provide comprehensive long-term service agreements for both the Misfah and Duqm Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects.

With a planned capacity reaching nearly 2.6 gigawatts, these combined-cycle power plants are projected to increase Oman’s total electricity capacity by almost 20 percent. Once operational, this infrastructural expansion will deliver a reliable power supply to more than two million people. The core of Siemens Energy’s technological scope incorporates the delivery of six advanced F-class gas turbines alongside six accompanying generators. To ensure ongoing reliability, the agreement also includes corresponding long-term service contracts spanning twenty years.

The manufacturing of these critical components will take place within Siemens Energy’s dedicated production sites in Germany. The SGT5-4000F gas turbines will be manufactured at the facility in Berlin, whereas the SGen5-2000P generators will be produced in Muelheim.

These plants have been strategically sited to support rapidly escalating capacity needs in two important locations. The Misfah plant is situated within the Muscat Governorate, which represents one of the Sultanate’s largest centres for electricity demand. The Duqm facility is positioned inside the Special Economic Zone at Duqm in the Al Wusta Governorate. This zone serves as a key industrial and logistics hub situated directly on the Arabian Sea coast.

The development of these projects is spearheaded by a multinational consortium. The group comprises the Etihad Water and Electricity Company PJSC, Nebras Power Investment Management B.V., Bahwan Infrastructure Services LLC, and Korea Western Power Co.,Ltd. Doosan Enerbility, acting in a consortium with SEPCO-3, has been tasked with the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) responsibilities. Nama Power and Water Procurement Company will serve as the official offtaker for the electricity generated.

The strategic importance of this initiative was underscored during a visit to Siemens Energy’s Berlin factory by H.E. Salim Al Aufi, Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals. He stated: "The Misfah and Duqm projects reflect Oman's commitment to building a resilient and future-ready energy system. By working with leading technology providers such as Siemens Energy, and deploying advanced gas turbines with hydrogen co-firing capabilities, we are strengthening the reliability of electricity supply while supporting our long-term strategy to diversify the Sultanate's energy mix. This will help create the flexibility to increase the use of hydrogen over time as our energy transition progresses. This collaboration will further set the foundation for a lower-carbon power system, enhance energy security, and support the goals of Oman Vision 2040."

Karim Amin, Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy, stated: “As the Sultanate continues to expand its industrial base and electricity infrastructure, flexible and reliable power will be critical in this next chapter, supporting grid stability and enabling greater integration of renewables in the system. We are proud to support this journey, and build on a strong legacy in Oman, by providing our cutting-edge gas turbines, expertise, and service capabilities to the flagship Misfah and Duqm power plants to deliver highly efficient energy and add a significant 2.6 GW to Oman’s power system, helping meet evolving demand and ambitious energy targets.”

Siemens Energy, employing roughly 105,000 individuals across more than 90 countries, reported revenue of €39.1 billion during the 2025 fiscal year. An estimated one-sixth of all globally generated electricity relies upon technologies provided by Siemens Energy, whose extensive international expertise will now play a foundational role in driving Oman’s future energy transition.

On 29th June 2026, Atlas Copco officially launched a brand-new range of Emergency Trash Pumps to complement its existing dewatering portfolio.

The newly introduced petrol-powered pumps offer a highly robust and portable solution aimed at ensuring fast, reliable water removal across challenging operational environments. Engineered specifically for demanding sectors such as construction, mining, quarrying, and various other industrial dewatering applications, the comprehensive ETP range features dedicated models built for handling both clean water and dirty water.

These Emergency Trash Pumps are meticulously engineered to deliver dependable performance during critical situations where the water being removed contains significantly higher levels of solid debris. This debris can include challenging materials such as sediments, organic matter, sand, and stones. Such abrasive conditions are well known to cause conventional pumping systems to either clog or fail completely. By remaining compact, lightweight, and exceptionally easy to deploy, the ETP units provide contractors and site operators with an essential rapid-response dewatering solution, which is absolutely vital when operational uptime is critical to project success. Typical industrial applications for these versatile pumps include stormwater control, stream diversion, system cleaning, and settlement removal.

Speaking on the launch of this critical equipment, a key representative highlighted the operational challenges these specific units address. “Industrial operations like construction and mining often face unexpected flooding or water accumulation containing abrasive solids and debris,” said Niccolo Tivelli, Product Application Manager, Atlas Copco. “Our new Emergency Trash Pumps give customers a reliable, easy-to-transport solution for handling clean and dirty water applications while maintaining high performance and serviceability”.

The new Emergency Trash Pumps range currently comprises seven different and distinct models, which enables end-users to select the most appropriate pump specific to their exact application requirements. The ETP clean water units serve as the ideal choice for water transfer, tank filling, and system cleaning applications. These clean water models are capable of offering impressive flow rates up to 1,600 l/min (432 USgpm) and can achieve up to a 60 m (197 ft) maximum head. Furthermore, they deliver maximum suction rates reaching up to 7 m (22.9 ft). These clean water units are specified to handle solids up to 8 mm (0.32 in) in diameter. To ensure ease of deployment across large operational sites, they feature durable but highly lightweight aluminium components.

Conversely, for much more demanding dewatering applications that involve contaminated or heavily debris-laden water, Atlas Copco has engineered specific ETP wastewater models. These heavy-duty models are engineered to capably handle larger solids measuring up to 29 mm (1.1 in) in diameter. Constructed meticulously with durable cast iron frames and impellers, these wastewater pumps are explicitly designed to withstand harsh operating conditions and fundamentally maintain their stability, even when operating directly in severe floodwater. In terms of performance, they confidently deliver flow rates up to 1,300 l/min (343 USgpm) operating at up to a 30 m (98 ft) maximum head, whilst achieving the precise same maximum suction rates as their clean water counterparts.

Throughout the meticulous development of the EPT range, Atlas Copco maintained a strict focus on overall portability, exceptional ease of use, and entirely simplified maintenance procedures. The pumps intrinsically feature practical lifting handles alongside quick deployment capabilities, specifically to ensure that projects keep moving forward with minimal downtime. Additionally, an open-frame design guarantees easy access to essential pump components, enabling highly efficient on-site servicing. Integrated safety features, which include exhaust protection and a highly stable frame construction, actively help to ensure reliable daily operation in the most demanding site conditions. Furthermore, the dedicated use of robust materials across all wear components and seals successfully maximises the equipment's overall durability and long-term reliability.

This new Emergency Trash Pump range is a valuable part of Atlas Copco’s broader product portfolio. This extensive range successfully includes advanced dewatering pumps, generators, energy storage systems, and light towers that are expressly designed to support demanding industrial and construction applications worldwide. The Atlas Copco Group, generating impressive revenues of BSEK 168 in 2025 and employing roughly 56,000 personnel at year-end, consistently continues to enable technology that transforms the future across multiple global industries. Furthermore, the Portable Power and Flow division, part of the wider Power Technique business area headquartered in Rock Hill in the United States, actively manages these cutting-edge dewatering innovations.

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, widely known as Shurooq, has officially announced the achievement of several crucial construction milestones across two of the most prominent flagship projects within its extensive real estate portfolio.

Progress is advancing rapidly at both Sharjah Sustainable City and the coastal development of Ajwan Khorfakkan.

These updates are accompanied by the unveiling of a significant new educational partnership. This collaboration will introduce a comprehensive K-12 school, spanning from Kindergarten through to Grade 12, directly into the heart of the Sharjah Sustainable City community, further enhancing the local infrastructure.

Strategic Progress in Sharjah Sustainable City

Construction work regarding additional community facilities across the Sharjah Sustainable City development continues to move forward steadily, with multiple amenities now entering their final stages of completion. A central element of these additions is the community mosque, which covers an impressive 15,224 square feet. Designed to comfortably accommodate up to 650 worshippers at any given time, the construction of this religious facility has successfully reached the 70% completion mark.

In addition to the progress on the mosque, excellent advancements are being recorded on the community’s dedicated sports infrastructure. Both the primary football field and the multi-use games area, frequently referred to as the MUGA courts, are rapidly approaching total completion. The football field features dimensions of 83 by 65 metres, providing a substantial space for sports enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, the specialized MUGA courts span an area of 64 by 19 metres and are fully equipped to host tennis, basketball, and volleyball facilities. These architectural milestones follow the recent opening of the community’s dedicated supermarket, a commercial addition that actively reinforces the overarching vision of Sharjah Sustainable City as a fully connected, self-sustaining lifestyle destination for its residents.

Adding substantial momentum to this sustainable residential project, Shurooq has formally signed a long-term agreement alongside the SANAM Group. This partnership aims to develop a state-of-the-art American curriculum K-12 school inside Sharjah Sustainable City. The ambitious educational project is projected to attract significant capital investments of up to $50 million, which equates to approximately Dh183 million, over the coming years.

Operating under a 35-year agreement, the upcoming campus is designed to comfortably accommodate approximately 2,435 students from their early kindergarten years right through to Grade 12 graduation. The facility will be constructed on a vast 29,275-square-metre plot situated in the Um Fanain/Al Ruqa Al Hamra area.

Plans for the school confirm that it will feature highly modern classrooms, specialized science and robotics laboratories, three independent libraries, creative arts studios, a black box theatre, and an expansive 500-seat multi-purpose hall. These internal learning spaces will be complemented by extensive physical education and sports amenities, including a dedicated indoor sports hall, an outdoor football pitch, and multiple swimming pools.

Waterfront Momentum Continues at Ajwan Khorfakkan

Simultaneously, Ajwan Khorfakkan, which stands as Shurooq's integrated waterfront destination located on the picturesque East Coast of the UAE, continued to gain significant development momentum throughout the month of June, hitting several vital project milestones.

Construction operations continue to advance at a steady pace across the entire coastal development, with notable engineering progress achieved in relation to foundation layout, piling installations, marine works, and waterfront structural works. At the same time, exceptionally strong market demand and sustained sales momentum continue to reinforce the prominent position of Ajwan Khorfakkan as one of the most distinctive and highly sought-after waterfront destinations in the United Arab Emirates.

Reflecting on these dual achievements, Khalid Deemas, Senior Director, Shurooq Real Estate development, said: “The progress across Sharjah Sustainable City and Ajwan Khorfakkan reflects our commitment to delivering vibrant, sustainable communities that meet the evolving needs of residents and investors. From expanding community amenities and education infrastructure to advancing our waterfront developments, each milestone brings us closer to creating destinations that offer long-term value and contribute to Sharjah's continued growth.”

As both of these major developments continue to progress through their respective timelines, Shurooq remains fully committed to delivering integrated communities. These projects successfully combine strict environmental sustainability, high building quality, and lasting financial value for current residents, property investors, and future generations.

The future of European resource extraction has taken a significant leap forward.

Aramine and sensmore have announced a partnership to introduce an automated, battery-powered Aramac L140B loader into the underground production environment at Cemex in Germany. This collaboration transforms a proven underground machine into a fully autonomous production system designed for real operating conditions.

As Europe actively seeks secure access to critical raw materials, underground extraction must become safer, more efficient, and less dependent on scarce skilled labour. Autonomous machines represent a practical path to achieving these vital goals by greatly reducing operator exposure to demanding underground environments.

Marc Melkonian, co-president at Aramine in charge of the equipment division, highlighted the strategic importance of this development. "The next step is to take raw materials under our feet, under our ground, in Europe, and not on the other side of the world. For that, we are not going to send people underground, but we are going to send machines that are capable to do it by themselves," said Melkonian.

The hardware driving this initiative is the Aramac L140B loader, provided by Aramine. Launched in 2016 to introduce new technology into underground mining, this battery-powered machine was explicitly designed with the openness required for autonomous control. Featuring a 1.3-tonne payload, it is engineered specifically for the distinct challenges of narrow-vein mining. The L140B successfully combines productivity, manoeuvrability, and operational flexibility in confined underground spaces. Operating with zero local CO2 emissions, the loader supports safer mining environments whilst enabling the transition toward fully autonomous production.

While Aramine provides the physical platform, sensmore acts as the automation system provider. The software company turns the L140B into an intelligent, autonomous production machine. The integration encompasses the entire automation stack, safety architecture, machine control, and operational interfaces required for active production use. At Cemex in Rüdersdorf, sensmore connected the automated L140B to the entire production process, including the conveyor belt, functional safety networks, and site infrastructure. Consequently, the machine operates not as an isolated robot, but as an integral part of the continuous underground workflow.

"Autonomy in heavy industry only creates real value when it is vertically integrated into the production environment," said Maximilian Rolf, CEO and Co-founder of sensmore. "At Cemex, we are integrating the Aramine L140B into the entire underground process. That is how autonomous machines become part of industrial reality today".

The operational impact of this deployment is already highly visible. Christian Zinnecker, coordinator underground operations, extraction & blasting at Cemex, noted the project's significance. "Implementing this system is a major milestone for us. It helps improve productivity, reduces operator exposure to underground risks, and supports our journey toward safer and lower-emission mining operations" said Zinnecker.

The automated Aramac L140B boasts remarkable endurance, operating autonomously for up to eight hours, compared with around five hours in manual, manned mode. This substantial increase translates into greater machine availability, a reduction in repetitive tasks, and a significantly safer working environment underground.

Together, Aramine, sensmore, and Cemex are demonstrating that autonomous underground extraction is no longer a future concept. It is becoming an industrial reality: safer for people, easier to operate, and fully ready to support the next generation of underground resource production.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the engineering, construction, infrastructure, mining, marine, offshore, and industrial sectors.

Organisations are investing heavily in AI assistants, large language models, analytics platforms, and intelligent search technologies to unlock insights hidden within their data. Yet despite these investments, one question remains largely unanswered: how does AI know what is true?

Every project-driven organisation generates enormous amounts of information every day. ERP systems, Primavera P6 schedules, building information modelling applications, procurement platforms, spreadsheets, IoT devices, and countless third-party applications all contribute valuable information. The challenge is not a lack of data. The challenge is that every source tells only part of the story.

Without an authoritative business reference, AI simply becomes exceptionally good at recognising statistical patterns across disconnected information. It may summarise documents, identify similarities, and answer questions, but it cannot reliably determine which information reflects the operational reality of the business. That distinction separates informative AI from enterprise-grade decision intelligence.

The Enterprise Knowledge Problem

Digital transformation has produced an unexpected side effect. Organisations have accumulated decades of valuable business knowledge that now resides across hundreds of disconnected systems. Consider a typical contractor or EPC organisation. Critical information exists simultaneously across ProjectVIEW ERP, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Excel workbooks, procurement portals, finance systems, legacy applications, document management systems, engineering calculations, equipment telemetry, and supplier correspondence.

While every repository contains useful information, none independently describes the complete business reality. The traditional response has been to spend months—or even years—trying to sanitise, standardise, migrate, and consolidate every dataset into a single repository before AI initiatives can begin. Unfortunately, by the time that effort is complete, the business has already changed.

The Missing Piece in Enterprise AI

Most AI platforms treat every data source equally. ProjectVIEW AI does not. At the heart of the platform lies ProjectVIEW ERP, which serves as the deterministic operational model of the enterprise. It defines the verified relationships between bills of quantities, work breakdown structures, cost codes, resources, procurement, contracts, variations, progress, payroll, cash flow, and project controls.

These relationships are not inferred by AI; they are established through the organisation’s operational processes and business rules. ProjectVIEW ERP therefore becomes far more than a standard software system. It becomes the organisation’s Enterprise Knowledge Foundation.

Deterministic AI: From Prediction to Understanding

Most AI solutions begin by asking: “What does the data probably mean?”

ProjectVIEW AI asks a fundamentally different question: “How does this information relate to the verified operational model of the organization?”

That difference changes everything. Instead of relying solely on probabilities, ProjectVIEW AI evaluates every new piece of information against an established framework of enterprise knowledge. It understands business context before generating conclusions. The deterministic layer does not replace AI; it gives AI something reliable to reason with.

Nothing Is Wasted

One of the greatest strengths of ProjectVIEW AI is that it does not require external data to be perfectly sanitised before becoming valuable. ProjectVIEW AI follows a different philosophy: nothing is wasted. Because the ERP provides a deterministic knowledge reference, the AI can interpret imperfect, incomplete, or externally generated information within the proper operational context.

A spreadsheet containing quantities immediately becomes associated with relevant items. A supplier email becomes evidence supporting procurement status, delivery risks, or potential claims. Publicly available information is evaluated against active projects to identify opportunities and risks. Instead of discarding unsanitised information, ProjectVIEW AI contextualises it, building a continuously expanding organisational memory.

From System Integration to Cognitive Integration

For years, enterprise software focused on system integration, moving information between applications. ProjectVIEW AI focuses on cognitive integration, explaining what that information means to the business. Imagine asking:

• “Which delayed purchase orders will impact next month’s critical path?”

• “Which subcontractors present the highest contractual risk?”

• “Which projects are likely to experience margin erosion?”

• “Which variations have sufficient technical, contractual, and financial evidence to support a claim?”

• “How will current procurement delays affect forecast cash flow?”

These are not document searches. They are business reasoning exercises. Large language models understand language but not the operational logic of an EPC organisation. ProjectVIEW AI builds upon the organisation's established knowledge anchor. The best AI doesn’t just generate answers; it understands your business before it answers.

Global utilities and leading power equipment manufacturers have united to address escalating bottlenecks within grid supply chains.

In a joint statement released during London Climate Action Week, industry leaders outlined steps to harmonise fragmented equipment standards and provide enhanced demand visibility, aiming to de-risk international procurement.

By 2030, Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) members will require nearly 90,000 kilometres of transmission cable; enough to wrap around the Earth over twice, alongside 273 high-voltage transformers, 12,000 medium- and low-voltage transformers, and 77 substations.

These requirements severely eclipse current manufacturing capacities, with transformer wait times now exceeding three years. Addressing these material constraints is critical to maintaining the pace of global grid expansion.

Co-led by UK utility SSE and Abu Dhabi-based TAQA, UNEZA operates under the guidance of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, working alongside the UK Government-led Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA).

UK Climate Minister Katie White stated: “This call from the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance shows that, by working with industry, governments can stop tying themselves in knots and start delivering the infrastructure needed to meet global demand – enough cable to wrap around the Earth more than twice. Through partnerships like the Global Clean Power Alliance, Britain is tackling long-standing barriers to clean energy. That will help us deliver the clean power mission, lower bills for good, and support other countries to reduce emissions and accelerate their own transition.”

Khalifa Al Mheiri, Chief Strategy & Investment Officer at TAQA Transmission, said: "As a utility investing in the next generation of electricity networks, TAQA recognises that delivering the energy transition at the pace the world requires depends not only on investment, but on our ability to strengthen and modernise global supply chains. Through UNEZA, utilities are taking practical action to improve coordination, harmonise technical approaches and explore pooled procurement models that provide greater certainty for suppliers while helping utilities deliver critical infrastructure faster, more efficiently and at lower cost. Collaboration across the value chain will be fundamental to building resilient electricity systems that support long-term energy security and net-zero ambitions.”

Glenn Barber, Director of Corporate Affairs at SSE, said: “We know from our experience in the UK that long-term visibility of demand is vital. It gives supply chain partners the certainty they need to invest in the manufacturing capacity and technical innovation needed to meet the demands of a monumental global energy transition. By bringing global utilities and supply chain partners together, UNEZA is not only helping to provide that visibility but tackling the practical barriers to supply chain development. The focus at London Climate Week on electrification of demand is welcome and necessary; at the same time, electrification will only be possible if grids can keep pace and the steps outlined today can plan an important role in that.”

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said: “We have spent the past decade proving that renewables can be deployed at scale. That case is made. The challenge now is ensuring grids and supply chains keep pace to deliver clean power reliably to homes, industries and communities. As electrification takes center stage in the next phase of the transition, with IRENA calling for a global electrification target of 35% by 2035, resilient supply chains will be essential. Initiatives such as the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance and the Global Clean Power Alliance show the value of governments, utilities and industry working together to accelerate progress while enhancing energy security and system resilience.”

Following a roundtable co-hosted with the GCPA, the alliance underscored massive financial commitments. At COP30, UNEZA members raised their collective annual investment target for renewables, grids, and storage from USD 117 billion to USD 148 billion. Overall clean energy investments between COP28 and 2030 are on course to exceed USD 1 trillion.

To secure supply chain resilience, UNEZA launched a Delivery Mechanism focused on pooled procurement. Members committed to three priority actions: providing annual demand signals to spur capacity growth, advancing harmonised equipment standards to improve interoperability, and scaling coordinated procurement. Now comprising 85 member organisations, UNEZA will continue developing this supply chain roadmap ahead of COP31, driving practical action to build robust electricity systems globally.