In May 2017, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) had released its power and desalinated water outlook to 2023. In the main MIS grid, water demand was set to climb by 5 % annually to 1.1 million m³/day, and in Dhofar 9 % to 231,000 m³/day. Bidders for Salalah and Barka II had chosen reverse osmosis over multi-stage flash without being asked. New capacity included Qurayyat (200,000 m³/day, 2017) and Barka IV (281,000 m³/day, 2018).
The report showed power-water co-location losing weight in Oman, with the procurer expecting future bids to favour reverse osmosis on cost grounds.