Acwa Power, a leading Saudi-based utility project developer, has emerged as the preferred bidder for the construction and operation of the 180-million-gallons-per-day (MGD) sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) Hassyan Phase One Independent Water Producer (IWP) project, being set up at an investment of AED3.35 billion ($914 million).

Dewa said the project is the largest of its kind in the world for water production based on SWRO technology using solar energy. This is the Dubai utility’s first IWP model project. The water desalination capacity in the emirate is currently 490 MGD. The project is due for completion in 2026.

Dewa received 29 expressions of interest from international developers to implement this project. The Request for Qualification (RFQ) was released to market on October 18. Six international companies were qualified to submit their bids.  Dewa received two bids from Acwa Power and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) in May this year in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued last December.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa, said: “We are building water production plants based on SWRO technology which require less energy than multi-stage flash distillation (MSF) plants, making it a more sustainable choice for water desalination. By 2030, we aim to produce 100 per cent of desalinated water by a mix of clean energy and waste heat.”

Dewa, he stated, has achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of $0.36536 per cu m of desalinated water.