Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala has signed a joint development agreement with the Federal Electricity & Water Authority (Fewa) to develop three reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants in the UAE’s northern emirates.

The three plants will have a total capacity of 135 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD), and will be developed in two phases in the emirates of Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah.

The first phase of the programme is due to be completed by 2021, according to a statement from Mohammed Mohammed Saleh, Fewa’s director general.

The partnership has been formed as part of plans to increase desalination capacity in the northern emirates to meet growing demand and reduce pressure on imports from Abu Dhabi, which currently provides significant water supplies to the emirates.

In June, MEED reported 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.

Fewa is also planning to award contracts to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to build two desalination plants. 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 MIGD.

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.