Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has issued a tender for a technical and economic feasibility study for third phase expansion of K-Station in Jebel Ali.

The deadline for bids is 9 June 2015.

The study will look at the site and projected demand to recommend the size and technology for the gas-powered plant. It is expected to be around 400MW or 500MW.

The plant currently has a capacity of 880MW and 60 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD) of desalinated water.

Dewa aims to tender the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by the end of 2015.

The target completion date is 2019.

Dewa awarded Germany’s Siemens a AED1.5bn ($400m) EPC contract to expand Dubai’s M station power plant by 600MW in February 2015.

Due to a growing need for gas imports, Dewa is also turning to alternative fuels to meet electricity demand. The deadline for bids to develop Hassyan coal independent power project (IPP) was extended again to 30 April to allow the eight bidders more time to prepare. The plant is due to come online in 2020.

It also announced its intention to procure an additional 800MW of solar photovoltaic power at the Mohammed bin Rashed al-Maktoum Solar Park. Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power is currently developing 200MW of power there which is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Peak demand for electricity reached 7233MW in 2014, compared to 6857MW in 2013, an increase of 5.5 per cent, and Dewa expects demand growth to remain above 4.5 per cent until the World Expo is held in 2020.

This means Dubai will need to increase its generation capacity from 9,656MW in 2013 to 14,840MW in 2020, according to MEED Insight.

Dewa plans to spend AED8.3bn in capital purchases and projects in 2015.