Etihad Water & Electricity (Etihad WE), the UAE’s federal utility provider, has issued successive tenders for the development of an independent water project (IWP) in Fujairah, one of the northern emirates, reports MEED.
According to Etihad WE, the deadline for bid submissions is set for February 17 and 18. However, the company has not disclosed the capacity of the project or projects under consideration. The bid invitations specify that neither bid nor performance bonds are required.
The public tender is open exclusively to UAE-registered companies that are deemed "competent" and hold the necessary licenses.
Investment in water infrastructure
Etihad WE has been actively investing in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technology to enhance sustainability in water production. The company has further plans to expand its investments in this area.
Yousif Al-Ali, CEO of Etihad WE, stated that RO plants have the potential to reduce emissions associated with water production by as much as 60%. Additionally, upgrading outdated water network infrastructure can further lower emissions.
Etihad WE has been actively investing in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technology to enhance sustainability in water production
In May last year, MEED reported that Etihad WE had organized a market-sounding event for an IWP in Ras Al-Khaimah. The project focuses on expanding the existing seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) facility in Ghalilah, which became operational in 2015.
Speaking to MEED in April last year, Al-Ali mentioned that the final capacity for the Ghalilah plant extension was still under review, with potential figures ranging between 30 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) and 90 MIGD.
The first SWRO plant in Ghalilah was built by US-based Aquatech and currently operates with a water production capacity of 15 MIGD.
In a move to modernize water infrastructure, Etihad WE recently earmarked AED465 million ($126 million) for the rehabilitation of the water network across the Northern Emirates. Of this, AED214 million has been allocated specifically for Ras Al-Khaimah.
Additionally, Al-Ali noted that “further significant funds” have been committed to the installation of approximately 120 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Ras Al-Khaimah. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to deploy up to 1,000 fast and accessible EV charging stations throughout the UAE by 2030.
