Emirates Sembcorp Water & Power Company has extended the deadline for bids to build a 30-35 million gallons a day desalination facility in Fujairah.

Bidders now have until 14 November instead of 17 October to submit proposals to design, build and operate the facility next to the existing Fujairah F1 independent water and power project (IWPP).

The winning bidder will build the reverse-osmosis seawater desalination project and operate it for seven years after construction.

Emirates Sembcorp, which is owned by Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) and Singapore’s Sembcorp, has prequalified a total of eight companies and groups for the project.

The existing Fujairah F1 IWPP reached financial close in June 2004 and was completed in March 2009. The facility currently has a capacity of 785MW of power and 100 million gallons a day of water.

Construction of another IWPP also located in the emirate, Fujairah F2 was inaugurated on 9 May.