Having gained a strong foothold in the electromechanical engineering market of Bahrain over the past three decades, leading engineering contractor Alkomed has recently set up a high-voltage power projects (HVPP) department offering a wide range of services for both transmission substation erection and underground power cables from 11 kV to 400 kV.

“The HVPP Department boasts Bahrain’s first in-house high-voltage (HV) cable jointing teams, which are currently working on the Bahrain 66 and 220 kV transmission development projects. With three independent teams, we are able to offer jointing and termination services to several locations and clients simultaneously,” says a company spokesperson.
“HV cable installation services are provided using a dedicated installation crew capable of designing and realising complicated multi-winch and bond pulling set-ups. We offer complete HV cable solutions. Our HVPP department also has a specialised in-house team for communication cable installation, jointing, termination and commissioning services, offering customers complete installation services for fibre optic cables, distributed thermal sensor cables, and twisted pair and co-axial cables,” he adds.
HV cable commissioning services are where Alkomed can offer another first in the region, says the spokesman. As the latest IEC standards require all XLPE cables to be commissioned with a HV AC high voltage test, the company has also just introduced a Resonant Frequency AC test set that can be used in building construction sites across the Gulf and beyond.
“The new test set is one of the most powerful single unit sets in the Middle East capable of producing a test voltage up to 260 kV at 83A from 20 Hz to 300 Hz, thus allowing the company to provide site testing services on all XLPE cables up to 400 kV. The versatile test set is provided with a basic load that helps Alkomed to offer low capacitance GIS busbar HV tests and long lengths of power cable with much higher capacitance.
The set’s capabilities and examples of cable circuits are presented in the Table 1. To further create awareness of the Resonant Frequency AC test set in the region, Alkomed will be displaying it at the Middle East Electricity Exhibition to be held next month (February 11 to 14) at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre in Dubai, UAE, where staff will be on-hand to assist customers with their varied HV cable services requirements.

Table 1:
Alkomed, which commenced operations in Bahrain in 1975, is regarded as one of Bahrain’s premier engineering contractors, offering quality assured engineering solutions and installation services including complete electro-mechanical system packages from engineering to installation to commissioning.
The company’s business activities in the region are carried out through various specialised divisions for electro-mechanical and other services. While the electrical projects department is responsible for low-voltage (LV) electrical services installations, including residential, commercial and industrial electrical installations, the utility projects division undertakes power and water infrastructure works including LV and MV (medium voltage) cable and substation installations and water distribution networks. This division has recently completed the 11kv and low voltage power network on the prestigious Amwaj Islands project in Bahrain.
Alkomed’s mechanical projects department provides services such as complete heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system installations, plumbing, drainage and fire protection systems and plant erection works, while the maintenance department provides a comprehensive building services maintenance solution. The company also has a fully-equipped fabrication workshop for the in-house production of sheet steel products, steelwork and woodwork.