MUSCAT: The Oman Authority for Electricity Regulation appointed on Monday two companies to help audit and improve the energy management plans of the government buildings.

The initiative aims at reducing energy use and operational costs in the government buildings and related services that consume huge amount of power in the long run.

The objective will be achieved through a series of innovative solutions, including installation of more efficient equipment and training of staff in the buildings, said Qais bin Saud Al Zakwani, executive director of the authority.

The programme will be implemented in multiple phases, and is expected to cover up to 70 percent of government buildings falling under the Cost Reflective Tariff (CRT), said Zakwani. The first stage would start in 2019, covering 50 to 100 government institutions and buildings, he added.

The CRT is a plan introduced in Oman in 2017 to effectively scrap all subsidy on electricity supplied to large consumers.