Contractors are preparing prequalification entries for two planned desalination plants for the Federal Electricity & Water Authority (Fewa), the utilities provider for the UAE’s Northern Emirates.

MEED reported in July that Fewa had received 26 expressions of interest (EOI) from contractors for the two desalination plants, which will have a combined total capacity of 75 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD).

The client has since invited contractors to submit prequalification entries, with documents due on 29 August, according to sources close to the scheme.

The first of the two planned desalination plants is a 30 MIGD plant at Ghallilah in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, with the second a 45 MIGD plant at a site located close to the Emirates Modern Industrial Area in the Umm al-Quwain emirate.

The client is seeking to appoint a contractor for each project to design, supply and install the two desalination projects on a turnkey basis.

The desalination plants are part of Fewa’s efforts to boost its own desalination capacity and reduce the Northern Emirates’ reliance on imports from Abu Dhabi.

MEED reported in June that Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power was Fewa’s preferred bidder to develop a 45 MIGD desalination plant at Umm al-Quwain, under the independent water producer (IWP) model.