Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to qualified developers and developer consortiums interested in developing the new Abu Dhabi Islands ‘Reverse Osmosis’ (RO) independent water project (IWP).
The Abu Dhabi Islands RO IWP project consists of two standalone greenfield, low-carbon intensive RO seawater desalination plants, which will be located on Saadiyat Island and Hudayriat Island.
Together, both plants will provide a combined total of 100 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD), equivalent to a daily output of 455,000 cu. m.
The RFP is being issued to bidders who have passed the qualification process following the Expression of Interests (EOI) stage that took place in September last year.
A total of 41 companies and consortiums had submitted EOIs of which 19 have qualified for the RFP stage. The deadline for submitting the RFPs has been set for Q4 2023.
The project scope includes the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the plant and its associated infrastructure.
The successful developer or developer consortium will own up to 40 per cent of the entity, while the remaining equity will be held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi Government, it added.
Ewec CEO, Othman Al Ali said: “Low-carbon intensive RO water desalination technology is a key innovation that advances our strategic initiative of decoupling power and water generation capacity. Once complete, the Abu Dhabi Islands RO project will become our seventh and eighth RO plants, enabling us to significantly shift our fleet to a water production portfolio – one that actively contributes to the decarbonisation of the sector, supports the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic objectives. We look forward to receiving competitive bids from the qualified companies as we move forward with the project development,” he added.
According to Ewec, the low-carbon intensive RO desalination project will also see it collaborate with Modon and Aldar Properties to develop and implement a unique design to cover the two desalination plants in a way that allows them to be landscaped, blending with the islands’ distinguished nature and ecosystem.