Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Mubadala and Dubal Holding say they will sign an agreement to develop a power and water desalination plant at EGA’s aluminium smelter at Jebel Ali in Dubai.

The plant will improve the efficiency of power EGA’s aluminium smelting, as well as reduce environmental emissions and natural gas consumption. Once operational, the power plant is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EGA’s power generation at Jebel Ali by some 10 per cent.

Mubadala and Dubal Holding will form a joint venture (JV) to develop the new facilities. EGA intends to buy the facility’s output for 25 years following its commissioning.

The JV will install a combined cycle power plant capable of generating over 600 megawatts of electricity. The shareholders of the JV have signed an agreement with Siemens to install the UAE’s first combined cycle H-class gas turbine, a leading technology in efficient power generation.

Once the project is complete, five older, smaller and less efficient turbines at EGA Jebel Ali will be put on standby for use only in emergencies.