M2 RO will provide up to 150 million imperial gallons per day and improve the security of water supply in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Developers or developer consortiums are invited to submit Expressions of Interest by the specified deadline

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 15 February 2021:  EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the integrated coordination of planning, purchasing and supplying of water and electricity across the UAE, today opened invitations to submit Expression of Interest for the development of the Mirfa 2 (M2) Reverse Osmosis (RO) Independent Water Project (IWP). 

M2 will see desalination of seawater using reverse osmosis to supply up to 150 million imperial gallons per day of water, improving the security of water supply in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In addition, M2 will play a key role in the ongoing cost reduction initiatives in the sector through the procurement of competitive and efficient RO water desalination technology. This is part of EWEC’s wider strategic initiative of decoupling power and water generation capacity.

Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said: “Reverse osmosis is a modern technology that desalinates water with high energy efficiency, and cost efficiency. In addition, reverse osmosis desalination technology helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and significantly reduce gas consumption by decoupling power and water production for the winter and summer seasons. M2 is a project we have developed to support these key strategic aims, and enhance clean and sustainable water supply in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. As we begin the tender process, we are seeking distinguished partners to develop this key project with us.”

The M2 project is to be located adjacent to the existing Mirfa IWPP, approximately 110 kilometres west of the city of Abu Dhabi, and involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of a standalone greenfield RO seawater desalination plant with a capacity of up to 150 million imperial gallons per day of water output, together with associated infrastructure. EWEC aims to achieve financial close by year-end 2021 with a target project commercial operations date of Q1 2024. 

The successful developer or developer consortium will own up to 40 percent of the entity while the remaining equity will be primarily held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi Government.