An agreement to transfer the land next to the existing F2 independent water and power project (IWPP) in Fujairah to Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (Adwea) has been completed, paving the way for the next utility project at the site.

According to sources in the UAE’s utilities sector, Adwea has ownership of the land next to the IWPP to develop a further utility project, which will be known as F3 (Fujairah 3). A decision has yet to be made on the type of plant that will be developed. The possibilities include an independent water project (IWP), an independent power project (IPP), a cogeneration plant, or an independent water and power project (IWPP).

The decision for the type of plant to be developed for the F3 site could be influenced by a decision on expanding the desalination capacity of the existing F2 facility.

The F2 IWPP, which has a power generation capacity of 2,000MW and a desalination component of 130 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD), was commissioned in 2011. The $2.8bn facility took three years to build. Adwea selected a consortium led by the UK’s International Power (now UK/French Engie) and Japan’s Marubeni Corporation to build the scheme in 2007.

In 2013, Singapore’s Sembcorp Industries awarded a contract to Spain’s Acciona to expand the desalination component of the existing 100MIGD Fujairah 1 (F1) IWPP project by 30 MIGD. Sembcorp has a 40 per cent holding in the owner of the plant, Emirates Sembcorp Water & Power Company, with Adwea holding the remaining share.