The Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain has announced the launch of an international tender for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the new Hawar seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant.
The project, titled “Construction works for New Hawar SWRO Desalination Plant,” was issued on 1 October 2025, with a bid submission deadline set for 30 November 2025. The last date for purchasing bid documents is 20 November, and the bids are scheduled to be opened on 1 December 2025. The EPC contract duration is two years.
The facility will be designed to produce 1 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) of potable water. According to the tender notice, the project will interface with two related contracts: Tender No. 4621/2025/3200 for the construction of offshore seawater intake and outfall systems, and Tender No. 4623/2025/3200 covering two ground storage tanks and water transmission pumps.
EWA’s eligibility criteria require bidders to demonstrate experience in the design, construction, and commissioning of at least two SWRO desalination plants over the past decade, each with a minimum capacity of 2 MIGD and at least two years of successful operational performance.
The Hawar Islands, located approximately 26 kilometers southeast of Ras Al Bar, form an archipelago of 16 desert islands and islets. The largest, Hawar Island, stretches about 17 kilometers in length and up to 3 kilometers in width, rising to a maximum elevation of 19 meters, according to Bahrain’s Supreme Council of Environment. The island currently hosts an eco-resort.
The launch of the Hawar SWRO tender follows a series of major water and power infrastructure projects recently initiated by EWA as part of its broader strategy to enhance Bahrain’s energy and water security.
In September, EWA announced the international tender for the Sitra Independent Water and Power Production Plant (IWPP), designed to deliver between 1400 and 1500 megawatts (MW) of electricity and 30 MIGD of potable water through a strategic partnership with the private sector under a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) system.
The launch of the Hawar SWRO tender follows a series of major water and power infrastructure projects recently initiated by EWA as part of its broader strategy to enhance Bahrain’s energy and water security
His Excellency Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, President of the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA), stated: “EWA has completed the pre-qualification process for developers, with seven leading global companies/consortia qualified in developing Independent Water and Power Production (IWPP) plants: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), ACWA Power, Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), JERA, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Sumitomo Corporation, and the consortium of companies: China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEMC) and China Datang (Overseas Hong Kong). EWA has invited contractors and investors interested in cooperation to directly communicate with these entities to explore partnership opportunities and exchange expertise for the implementation of the project.”
He added that the Sitra IWPP will employ the latest global technologies to enhance operational efficiency: “The project will be developed using the latest global technologies of high operational efficiency and quality standards in the field of electricity generation and seawater desalination using reverse osmosis (RO) technology. The operational testing phase and initial commercial operation of 600 MW of electricity and 30 MIGD of water are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2028, with the full commercial operation of the plant scheduled for the second quarter of 2029.”
The Sitra IWPP follows the Hidd Independent Water Production Plant, for which EWA launched an international tender in August 2025. The Hidd project will have a capacity of 60 MIGD and will also be executed through a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) model.
At the time, His Excellency Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed noted: “EWA has completed the pre-qualification process for developers, resulting in the qualification of nine companies and consortia with proven expertise in developing Independent Water Production (IWP) projects.”
The qualified entities include Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), ACWA Power Company (ACWA), Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), GS Inima, Al Jomaih Energy and Water Company (AEW), JERA Middle East and Africa Management Co Ltd (JERA), Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Sumitomo Corp., and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CEMC).
EWA has also announced progress on Bahrain’s first solar-powered electricity and water production plant, developed in cooperation with the private sector. The facility will have a production capacity of around 150 MW, with its tender expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.
