A joint venture of Japan’s Sumitomo and US-based GE has been awarded a contract by Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (Sewa) to develop a 1,800MW independent power project (IPP) in the Northern UAE emirate of Sharjah.

MEED first reported in November 2017 that Sewa was in discussions with Sumitomo and GE about the possibility of developing an IPP.

Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas (TR) has been awarded a contract by the consortium to carry out engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services in partnership with GE for Sharjah’s first IPP. TR’s contract is worth more than $350m, according to a statement released by the Spanish firm.

The statement revealed that the final notice to proceed is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2019, with the project expected to take 53 months to execute. GE H-series gas turbines will be installed at the plant.

The project marks Sewa’s first IPP, with previous plants all having been developed under standard EPC contracts. The project is part of Sewa’s plans to capacity to reduce reliance on imports of electricity from Abu Dhabi, which have grown steadily over the past decade.