EXCLUSIVE: UAE utility receives proposals for IWP

14 February 2018
One of the three bids received has been discounted from the running

The Federal Electricity & Water Authority (Fewa) has received proposals for its planned 45 million imperial gallon a day (MIGD) desalination plant.

The utility received proposals from three bidders on 13 February. Bids had been due to be submitted in December, but the tender was restructured, resulting in an extension for bidders.

The three groups which submitted proposals were:

  • Acciona Infrastructure (Spain)/EPC: Acciona Agua
  • Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)/ Tecton (UAE)/ EPC: Sidem (France)
  • Abdul Lateef Jameel (Saudi Arabia)/Besix (Belgium)/ EPC: Besix

According to sources close to the project, Fewa has notified bidders that it will proceed with two bidders for the bid evaluation, with Acciona being discounted.

The project, which has an estimated total cost of AED1bn ($272m), will be developed under an independent water producer (IWP) model. In June last year, Fewa announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Umm al-Quwain executive council for the land leasing agreement for the plant, and that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) had started.

Austria’s ILF Consulting Engineers was awarded the consultancy services deal for the IWP in January 2017.

If successful, the project will be one of the first IWPs in the UAE, with Abu Dhabi’s public-private partnership (PPP) utility projects to date all being cogeneration facilities with power elements.

 

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