EXCLUSIVE: Abu Dhabi plans independent water project

Desalination plant

Abu Dhabi Electricity & Water Authority (Adwea) is planning to oversee the development of the emirate’s first independent water project (IWP).

Adwea recently received bids from firms to provide technical advisory services for the proposed reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant.

The advisory contract will involve determining the final capacity of the plant and location. The capacity is expected to be about 50 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD), which could be extended up to 80 MIGD in a couple of phases.

Possible sites are believed to be:

  • Mirfa
  • Umm al-Nar
  • Taweelah
  • Emirates Aluminium site
  • Fujairah

While Abu Dhabi has implemented several independent water and power projects (IWPPs) over the past 20 years, the planned IWP would be the emirate’s first privately financed standalone desalination plant.

Traditionally in the GCC’s utilities sector, desalination capacity, mainly thermal, was coupled with power in cogeneration plants. However, this is now starting to change, with the emergence of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) as a less energy-intensive technology.

The decoupling of desalination from power plants will assist with providing a more efficient supply of water when required, particularly with the significant power capacity due to come online from the under-construction 5.6GW Baraka nuclear power plant in the coming three years.

Saudi Arabia is also planning to develop several major IWPs in the coming years, having previously developed desalination supply in cogeneration facilities. 

Related Posts
Crisis unsettles water demand and supply
Health emergency drives water demand and could disrupt projects delivery On 21 March, Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company said it will increase the supply of water to 9.7 million cubic metres ...
READ MORE
Abu Dhabi’s consolidation efforts turn to construction
Arabtec and Trojan have confirmed they may collaborate in the future After high-profile mergers in the financial, energy and real estate sectors, Abu Dhabi’s consolidation drive is now turning to construction. On ...
READ MORE
Contractors look to the East for new opportunities
Firms are viewing the hydrocarbons-rich Caspian region as an emerging market with potential There is no doubt the past few months have been tough for regional engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) ...
READ MORE
Celebrating excellence in GCC projects at MEED Projects Awards in association with Mashreq
The purpose of the MEED Projects Awards is to celebrate the best that the GCC projects industry has to offer. MEED’s aim is to support the development of the region ...
READ MORE
Oiling the Wheels of the Economy
The privatisation of state oil companies shows the desire to reform outdated economic models is genuine. The fight between the London and New York stock exchanges to secure the listing of ...
READ MORE
Power purchase negotiations expected to slow
GlobalData foresees more complex and comprehensive power-purchase agreements post Covid-19 Confinement measures to combat Covid-19 could have drastic implications on existing and new power-purchase agreements (PPA) around the world. According to a GlobalData ...
READ MORE
CONNECT SERIES: Enabling future generations through digitalisation
Early investment in telecoms network infrastructure puts the UAE in a strong position for successful digital transformation but a shift in mindset is required   The measures introduced in March 2020 to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus forced workplaces and schools ...
READ MORE
BRIEFING PAPER: Renewed Ambitions
Mena petrochemicals producers target ambitious growth Downloadable briefing paper from MEED, in partnership with Mashreq, examines rising capital investments in Mena’s petrochemicals sector  About $33.8bn-worth of petrochemicals projects are under execution in the ...
READ MORE
Various initiatives for prevention and control of NCDs in the GCC
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors[1]. Key NCDs include cardiovascular ...
READ MORE
Sovereign funds feel the pressure
The Covid-19 pandemic could provide greater scope for sovereign wealth funds to help boost regional economies starved of liquidity US Treasury data released in May painted a dismal scene for Middle ...
READ MORE
Crisis unsettles water demand and supply
Abu Dhabi’s consolidation efforts turn to construction
Contractors look to the East for new opportunities
Celebrating excellence in GCC projects at MEED Projects
Oiling the Wheels of the Economy
Power purchase negotiations expected to slow
CONNECT SERIES: Enabling future generations through digitalisation
BRIEFING PAPER: Renewed Ambitions
Various initiatives for prevention and control of NCDs
Sovereign funds feel the pressure
02 November, 2017 | .By Andrew Roscoe