Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from developers/developer consortiums for the Mirfa 2 (M2) reverse osmosis independent water project (IWP) in Abu Dhabi.

A leading company in the integrated co-ordination of planning, purchasing and supplying of water and electricity across the UAE, Ewec said M2 will see desalination of seawater using reverse osmosis to supply up to 150 million gallons per day of water, improving the security of water supply in 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.

EWEC Chief Executive Officer  Othman Al Ali, 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 cut 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 Abu Dhabi.”

The M2 project is to be located adjacent to the existing Mirfa IWPP, approximately 110 km west of the city of Abu Dhabi, and will 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 gallons per day of water output, together with associated infrastructure. The expected date for starting commercial operations is Q1 2024.

The successful developer/developer consortium will own up to 40 per cent of the entity while the remaining equity will be primarily held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi Government, it added.