The Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC) has invited companies to submit a request of qualification (RFQ) for the Shuweihat S4 RO Independent Water Project (IWP) in Abu Dhabi, informs Energy & Utilities.
Last October, EWEC invited developers to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Shuweihat S4 project, receiving EOI from a total of 35 companies and consortia. In this next stage of the tender process, an RFQ is being issued to selected bidders that submitted an EOI, who should submit the RFQ by December 31.
The Shuweihat S4 project will use seawater reverse osmosis desalination technology to produce 70 million gallons of water per day, largely in the Al Dhafra Reion of Abu Dhabi, enough to meet the water demand of about 125,000 households.
Located in the Shuweihat power and water complex, about 250 km to the west of the city of Abu Dhabi, the Shuweihat S4 project will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant, as well as associated infrastructure. EWEC expects to achieve financial close by the end of 2022 and to commence commercial operations by Q3 2025.
The successful developer or developer consortium will own up to 40% of the entity, and the remaining equity will be held indirectly by the Government of Abu Dhabi.
EWEC also recently issued a Request for Proposals for the 80 MIGD Mirfa 2 RO Independent Water Project. These two new projects follow EWEC’s strategy of increasing reverse osmosis desalination capacity, as Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, noted in a press release: “These new low-carbon seawater desalination projects are the key to decoupling power and water production, which will allow us to make significant changes to our water and electricity production portfolio with a focus on decarbonising the energy sector.” And he added “Reverse osmosis technology is cost and carbon efficient, reducing carbon emissions from water desalination by up to 95 percent, in addition to enhancing the water security of Abu Dhabi.”
