DEWA, ACWA Power secure financing for Hassyan desalination plant

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power said on Monday they secured the financing for the 180 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) Hassyan seawater desalination plant.

The plant is the world’s largest project of its kind using reverse osmosis (RO) technology under the Independent Water Producer (IWP) model, with an investment of $919.5m (Dhs3.38bn).

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of DEWA said water security is a national priority as outlined in the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036.

“DEWA is building water production plants based on seawater reverse osmosis technology, which requires less energy than multi-stage distillation plants, making it a more sustainable option for desalination,” said Al Tayer.

The utility giant seeks to produce 100 per cent of desalinated water with clean energy and waste heat by 2030. The project aligns with Dubai’s unparalleled economic growth and the city’s thriving construction sector.

It also complements the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, addresses the substantial population growth and meets the steadily increasing demand for water in the emirate.

Last August, DEWA picked ACWA Power to build and operate the first phase of the Hassyan seawater desalination plant after it received the lowest bid of 0.36536 USD/m³.

“We have set a world record for the lowest tariff for desalinated water as well as the most energy-efficient RO technology for the first plant in the world that is fully powered by renewable energy,” said Mohammad Abunayyan, founder and chairman of ACWA Power.

Meanwhile, the Hassyan water project is part of DEWA’s broader strategy to increase the water desalination capacity in Dubai to 730 MIGD from 490 MIGD at present. The utility company commissioned a 60 MIGD water reservoir in Lusaily at a total investment of Dhs157.4m in May 2023.

The company is currently working on three other reservoir projects in Nakhali, Hassyan and Hatta in addition to the water reservoir in Lusaily. The projects, which are set to increase the company’s storage capacity to 1,151 MIG from 881 MIG currently, are expected to be completed in 2024.

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