ADWEA to call for power, water plant tenders

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) will issue a call for tenders for a major electricity and water desalination plant in the first half of 2010, the authority's privatisation chief said on Tuesday.

The project will have a minimum output capacity of 1,500 megawatts of electricity and pump 60-100 million gallons of potable water daily, ADWEA Director of Privatisation Abdullah Al Nuaimi said on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Conference 2009.

The plant is scheduled to enter operation in late 2013 or early 2014, he added.

The government plans to invite private sector participation amounting to 40 per cent of the project, as has been the case in previous power and water desalination projects.

ADWEA also plans to seek long-term financing to implement its share, Al Nuaimi said.

He declined to specify where the plant would be located or how much investment it will require.

"We are looking at several different locations," Al Nuaimi said. Abu Dhabi's demand for electricity is expected to increase by at least 7 per cent through the year 2015, according to ADWEA.

Last month, ADWEA secured $2.2 billion (Dh8 billion) from regional and international banks to finance the Shweihat S2 complex expected to come on stream in 2011.