Abu Dhabi will invite bids for the first phase of the Dh1.5 billion ($408 million) Shuweihat power and desalination project in mid-February, according to Abdullah Al-Naimi, director of privatisation at Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea).

He said the first phase of the project <\-> one of Abu Dhabi's three planned independent power generating plants <\-> will increase the emirate's power generation capacity by around 1,500 MW and water production by some 100 million gallons per day. The project will eventually have an overall capacity of 5,000 MW and 300 million gallons of water per day. He said it included building two power plants which would meet the demand for electricity in the emirate until 2010.

GTABS $>Dutch engineering and consulting firm Tebodin Middle East Limited has been appointed consultant for the water transmission scheme of the plant.