TOURISM Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the master developer of tourism, cultural and residential projects in Abu Dhabi, said Saadiyat Cooling, its joint venture with Dalkia Utilities, has successfully commissioned its first district cooling plant serving the Beach District on Saadiyat Island.

The plant, which currently provides cooling services to St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort and Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, has an installed capacity of 10,000 tons of refrigeration (TR), expandable to 12,500 TR when new developments such as Cranleigh Abu Dhabi are connected.

Through a 29-year concession contract signed in 2010, Saadiyat Cooling is responsible for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of three district cooling plants on Saadiyat Island, which will serve the Saadiyat Beach District and the Saadiyat Cultural District.

This public-private partnership concession is the first contract of its kind to be awarded on Saadiyat.

The project incorporates three plants, and is one of the Middle East’s largest district cooling plant operations. Once completed, the three plants will have a combined capacity of more than 70,000 TR (246 MWr).

Jassim Al Hammadi, deputy director of infrastructure at TDIC, said: “The completion of this district cooling plant is an important step forward in the infrastructure development of Saadiyat and a great milestone for Saadiyat Cooling, which is already engaged in the construction of the second district cooling plant serving the Cultural District with a design capacity of 35,000 TR.”