ACWA Power is preferred bidder for Umm Al Quwain project

A consortium led by ACWA Power has emerged as the preferred bidder for the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Umm Al Quwain desalination plant project.

The UAE’s Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) appointed ACWA Power and partner Tecton Engineering and Construction to design, build, and finance a 205,000 m3/d capacity plant at Umm Al Quwain, and operate it for 25 years. There will be a final round of contract talks with the aim to achieve financial close by Q3 2018.

The water agency confirmed that three further desalination plant projects, for which locations and capacities have been agreed, are to be tendered before the end of 2018, all on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Umm Al Quwain is the first desalination project in UAE to be structured as a PPP.

UAE receives 14 bids for Umm Al Quwain desal plant (October 2016)