- Siemens research finds that grid limitations are the factor most likely to slow the region’s move to clean energy, making grid planning one of its biggest opportunities.
- 500 engineering students per semester at Omani universities will be trained on software used to plan and protect power grids through the 2027–28 academic year.
- Universities selected by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals as Oman prepares its grid for a growing share of renewable energy.
MUSCAT, Oman, 13 October 2026 – As Oman expands renewable power and invests in a unified national grid, Siemens and the Omani Ministry of Energy and Minerals are preparing engineers to plan the grid’s next phase.
Today, at IEEE PowerTalks 2026 in Muscat, Siemens, in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, granted Four Omani universities – Sultan Qaboos University, the University of Nizwa, University of Technology and Applied Sciences and Sohar University – licenses to Gridscale X PSS E, PSS SINCAL, and Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment, which are industry-standard software used to plan, simulate, and protect power networks for 500 students per semester across the 2026–27 and 2027–28 academic years.
Students in BSc, MSc, and PhD programs at all four universities will use the software licenses to learn how to design grids that can respond effectively to faults.
The Ministry of Energy and Minerals selected the four universities as part of its broader national energy transition ambition to support grid modernization, which requires training the next generation of engineers in grid planning and operations. Each semester, Siemens’ software licenses will provide practical training on grid-planning tools for approximately 500 students across participating universities.
The grid planning software license grant builds on Siemens’ multi-year collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, including support for Oman’s national energy model and Energy Transition Strategy, and training for government specialists in energy system modeling and planning.
The grid is becoming the deciding factor in the Middle East’s energy transition
In Siemens’ 2026 Middle East Infrastructure Transition Monitor (ITM), a survey of 400 senior executives across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and Oman, respondents identified grid limitations as the factor most likely to slow their industry’s move to clean energy, while 62% said inadequate grid infrastructure is holding back electrification.
ITM respondents also highlighted opportunities, ranking digitalization as the factor most likely to speed up the clean energy shift, with 64% seeing smart grids and grid software as crucial enablers of the transition. The report also identifies the grid as one of the region’s most important platforms for industrial growth, energy security, and decarbonization.
Jamie Hoyzer, Managing Director of Siemens in Oman, said, “Across the Middle East, the grid is where energy ambitions are either enabled or delayed. It is one of the biggest opportunities for countries that plan ahead, such as Oman. Planning a grid for a high share of renewables requires the right tools and the people who know how to use them. We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and the universities to prepare the next generation of engineers who will shape Oman’s grid from on the same software used to plan and protect real networks.”
Oman is moving to get ahead of the grid.
The share of renewable energy connected to the national Omani grid rose from 4.26% in 2024 to 9.46% in 2025, and the Sultanate aims to reach 30–40% by 2030, 60–70% by 2040, and 90–100% by 2050. A grid that carries renewables at that scale must be planned and protected in new ways, and it will need engineers trained to do it.
According to Siemens’ 2026 Middle East ITM, training and workforce development rank among organizations’ top five priorities for the next three years.
Eng. Maryam Al Hashmi, Director of Electricity and Energy Efficiency policies and Strategies, Ministry of Energy and Minerals said, “The national grid is where Oman’s renewable energy ambitions become reality. As we connect more solar and wind and extend the grid across the Sultanate, we need Omani engineers who can plan and operate it with confidence. Bringing advanced grid-planning tools into our universities is an investment in that national capability, in line with Oman Vision 2040.”
Dr. Hamdan bin Sulaiman Al Fazari, Vice Chancellor, Sohar University, said, “Our students learn best when they work on the same challenges, and with the same tools, as the industry they will join. Access to Siemens grid-planning and protection software allows us to integrate theoretical and practical learning about power network management into our teaching and research. Thereby enabling our graduates to be ready to contribute to Oman’s energy transition from day one.”
PSS E is used for transmission planning and analysis. PSS SINCAL empowers grid planners to master grid complexity with reliable, engineering-grade simulation and analysis software. Gridscale X Advanced Protection Assessment enables detailed protection simulation, helping engineers design how a grid responds to faults.
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About Siemens:
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, mobility, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable. A leader in industrial AI, Siemens leverages its deep domain know-how to apply AI – including generative AI – to real-world applications, making AI accessible and impactful for customers across diverse industries. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology provider pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. In fiscal 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, the Siemens Group generated revenue of €78.9 billion and net income of €10.4 billion. As of September 30, 2025, the company employed around 318,000 people worldwide on the basis of continuing operations. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.