DUBAI: The Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa), a consortium consisting of ACWA Power and MDC Power Holding Company, an entity fully owned by Mubadala Investment Company, has entered into a water purchase agreement for a 150 million imperial gallon per day desalination plant in Umm Al Quwain.

The plant will utilise Seawater Reverse Osmosis technology.

Under the terms of the agreement, Fewa will hold 20 per cent of the stake, while ACWA Power and Mubadala will each own 40 per cent. The government of Umm Al Quwain will join as a partner in the project and will own a stake at a later date.

Under the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed AI Nahyan, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and in fulfilment of the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 - His Highness Shaikh Saud Bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, harnessed the full potential of the emirate to implement the project in support of the water security strategy, which will accelerate the sustainable development of the UAE.

Commenting on the announcement, Shaikh Rashid Bin Saud Bin Rashid Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain and Chairman of Umm Al Quwain Executive Council, said: “The crucial and strategic project in Umm Al Quwain is considered an important milestone in the series of development projects in the UAE, as it enhances the partnership between the public and private sectors and reflects positivity on the overall national economy; the project is also strategically located between Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah.”

Once commissioned, the Umm Al Quwain plant will be the largest desalination project in the Northern Emirates. The project cost is deemed as highly competitive and will utilise state of the art technology allowing it to efficiently produce water while preserving the environment.

Construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2019, with initial water production scheduled in 2021. The project is part of the UAE’s effort to optimise water production and meet the increasing demand for water in the country.