Related Articles

• 
  Wetico wins Taziz water treatment package

  18 March 2025

  Riyadh-based water utility developer Water & Environment Technologies Company (Wetico) has won a contract to build a comprehensive water facilities package for the Taziz derivatives complex in Abu Dhabi’s Ruwais industrial area.

  Kuwait-headquartered Alghanim International, which won the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build the utility infrastructure for the Taziz derivatives complex, awarded Wetico the estimated $67m contract.

  The package includes the construction of a seawater desalination plant, demineralisation plant, condensate polishing unit and effluent treatment plant.

  The seawater intake screening and the pumping unit will have a capacity of approximately 177,825 cubic metres a day (cm/d), while the desalination plant, based on filtration and seawater reverse osmosis (RO) and a second pass of brackish water RO membranes, is 19,880 cm/d.

  The demineralisation plant, equipped with continuous electrodeionisation stacks, will have a capacity of around 13,440 cm/d.

  The plant will have a potable water capacity of 3,144 cm/d, with carbon dioxide generation and limestones

  The facility’s condensate polishing treatment system will have an estimated capacity of 5,370 cm/d, while the wastewater treatment plant, based on moving bed biofilm reactor technology, will have a capacity of 8,109 cm/d.

  MEED reported in February that Alghanim International had started construction on the $1bn steam and power cogeneration plant catering to the Taziz derivatives complex.

  Known as Project Volta, the steam and power cogeneration facility will supply electricity to the plants built at the Ruwais petrochemicals complex, some 220 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi city.

  The new cogeneration plant is expected to be completed by 2028.

  Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) awarded the $1bn EPC contract to Alghanim in December, two years after the procurement process began.

  Derivatives complex

  Taziz is a 60:40 joint venture of Adnoc and Abu Dhabi’s industrial holding company ADQ.

  The total investment in building the Ruwais derivatives park will be $5bn. Several derivatives plant projects with an estimated budget of $3bn have been tendered. 

  Adnoc signed an agreement with Taqa in June 2021 to construct other utilities in the Ruwais complex, including power, steam, cooling, demineralised and wastewater services.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13503471/main.jpg

  Jennifer Aguinaldo
• 
  Dewa retenders pumping stations package

  18 March 2025

  State utility Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) has retendered a contract to build pumping stations and related facilities in the emirate.

  The contract covers the construction of a pumping station (PS6) catering to the 30-million-imperial-gallons-a-day Ghafat Idah reservoir complex and another pumping station on Endurance Road (PS21), phase one, stream A. 

  The contract covers all electro-mechanical and supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) works.

  Dewa expects to receive bids for the retendered contract by 15 May.

  The tender requires interested firms to submit a bid bond of AED5m ($1.37m).

  Dewa first tendered the contract in April last year and received six bids three months later.

  Local contracting company Sawaed Alqafelah General Contracting (Syed Contracting) submitted the lowest bid of  AED78.76m ($21.44m). 

  Japan’s Torishima Pump Manufacturing Company – the only non-local bidder – offered the second-lowest bid of AED86.05m, with an optional offer of AED85.12m.

  The other bidders and their offers were:

  • Danway Electrical & Mechanical (local): AED99.4m
  • Binghalib Technology (local): AED179.24m (main); AED 174.96m (option one)
  • Green Oasis General Contracting (local): AED200.18m
  • Emarat Aloula Contracting (local): AED242.69m (main); AED239.08m (option one)

  Three companies declined to bid for the contract, including India’s Larsen & Toubro, the local Lindenberg Emirates and United Engineering Construction.

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  Jennifer Aguinaldo
• 
  Tabreed confirms $408m Palm Jebel Ali deal

  17 March 2025

  Abu Dhabi-headquartered National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) has signed a concession agreement with Dubai Holding Investments, part of Dubai Holding, to provide district cooling services for Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai. 

  MEED reported in January that talks were under way for a contract to develop new district cooling plants on Palm Jebel Ali, with an initial capacity of 25,000 refrigeration tonnes (RTs).

  Tabreed said the system will address the need for approximately 250,000 RTs of cooling capacity and require an estimated investment of AED1.5bn ($408m) over multiple phases, making it one of the largest district cooling plant projects ever awarded in the UAE.

  In a statement, Tabreed said the agreement establishes a joint venture, with Tabreed holding a 51% stake and Dubai Holding Investments retaining the remaining 49%.

  

  Tabreed’s major shareholders, sovereign investor Mubadala (42%) and French utility developer Engie (40%), supported the firm’s proposal to develop the project.

  Tabreed CEO Khalid Al-Marzooqi and Dubai Holding Investments CEO Omar Karim signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from Tabreed, Dubai Holding, Mubadala and Engie. 

  The construction of the district cooling network is expected to commence in Q2 2025, with the first cooling services expected to be delivered by 2027.

  The deal is subject to customary approvals.

  Tabreed acquired an 80% stake in Emaar Property’s Downtown Dubai district cooling business at a cost of AED2.48bn ($675m) in 2020.

  Tabreed raised AED700m ($190.6m) via an inaugural, five-year green sukuk as the first issuance under its new $1.5bn trust certificate issuance scheme, the firm said in early March.

  The firm reported a revenue of AED2.4bn and a net profit before tax of AED624m in 2024, representing a 4% increase over 2023, excluding one-offs.

  Its Ebitda increased by 5% year-on-year to AED1.25bn, with an improved margin of 51%. Net profit after tax stood at AED570m, up 32% compared to AED431m in 2023.

  Mixed-use developments in the region commonly deploy district cooling. The process involves using a central chiller plant to cool water, which is circulated to multiple buildings to provide cooling.

  It is considered more energy-efficient, consuming at least 20% less electricity than conventional air-cooled or individual water-cooled air conditioning systems.

  Photo credit: Tabreed

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  Jennifer Aguinaldo
• 
  Firms prepare Al-Zarraf solar PV bids

  17 March 2025

  

   

  Prequalified firms have approximately three months to form consortiums and prepare proposals for a contract to develop Abu Dhabi’s fifth utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power project (IPP).

  State utility Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) prequalified 16 companies that can bid for the Al-Zarraf solar IPP, also known as PV5, which will have a capacity of 1,500MW.

  Industry sources say up to five consortiums are being formed to bid for the contract as of mid-March.

  The 10 firms that may bid as managing members of the bidding consortiums are: 

  • AlJomaih Energy & Water (Saudi Arabia)
  • EDF Renewables (France)
  • International Power (Engie)
  • Jera Nex (Japan)
  • Jinko Power (Hong Kong)
  • Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea)
  • Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo)
  • Marubeni Corporation (Japan)
  • SPIC Hunaghe Hydropower Development Company (China)
  • Sumitomo Corporation (Japan)

  The following six companies may bid as consortium members:

  • Alfanar Company (Saudi Arabia)
  • Alghanim International General Trading & Contracting (Kuwait)
  • China Power Engineering Consulting Group International Engineering Company (CPECC, China)
  • Etihad Water & Electricity (UAE)
  • Orascom Construction (Egypt)
  • PowerChina International Group (China)

  Ewec received expressions of interest for the contract from 20 companies and consortiums in October last year and issued the tender in January.

  It expects to receive bids for the contract by 12 June, one of the sources said.

  Like the first four solar IPPs tendered by Ewec, the Al-Zarraf solar IPP will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the solar PV plant and associated infrastructure.

  The successful bidder or consortium will enter into a long-term power-purchase agreement with Ewec as the sole procurer of electricity.

  Ewec opened the bids for its fourth utility-scale solar project, the Al-Khazna solar IPP or PV4, on 30 October.

  Engie offered a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of AED fils 5.35502 ($c1.459) a kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the contract, beating by roughly 3% the second-lowest offer made by a team of China’s Jinko Power and Japan’s Jera of AED fils 5.54126/kWh.

  A team of France’s EDF Renewables and its partner, Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo), emerged with the highest offer of AED fils 5.86311/kWh. 

  Ewec is expected to award the Al-Khazna solar IPP contract to Engie around the second quarter of this year, as MEED reported.

  Successful PV bidders

  In 2016, a team of Japan’s Marubeni and Jinko Power won the contract to develop and operate Abu Dhabi’s first utility-scale solar PV project in Sweihan, the 934MW Noor Abu Dhabi IPP.

  Four years later, in 2020, a team comprising EDF Renewables and Jinko Power won the contract to develop the 1,500MW Al-Dhafra solar PV, which was inaugurated last year.

  In April 2024, Ewec awarded the contract to develop PV3, the 1,500MW Al-Ajban solar IPP, to a team led by EDF Renewables and including Kowepo.

  Ewec forecasts that at least 18,000MW of solar PV will be in operation by 2035, supporting the realisation of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035.

  The programme envisages renewable and clean energy sources meeting 60% of the emirate’s total power demand at the end of the forecast period. 

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  MEED’s April 2025 report on Saudi Arabia includes:

  > POWER: Saudi power sector enters busiest year
  > WATER: Saudi water contracts set another annual record
  > UPSTREAM: Saudi oil and gas spending to surpass 2024 level
  > DOWNSTREAM: Aramco’s recalibrated chemical goals reflect realism
  > CONSTRUCTION: Reprioritisation underpins Saudi construction
  > TRANSPORT: Riyadh pushes ahead with infrastructure development
  > BANKING: Saudi banks work to keep pace with credit expansion

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  Jennifer Aguinaldo
• 
  Contractors submit final offers for Diriyah Arena district

  17 March 2025

  

   

  Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

  Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company has received the last and final offers from firms for the contract to build the Arena Block assets in the Boulevard Southwest section in the DG2 area of the Diriyah gigaproject.

  MEED understands that final proposals were submitted last week and the award is expected shortly for the multibillion-riyal package, which consists of mixed-use facilities, including offices.

  Tendering activity is also progressing on several other major schemes at Diriyah, including the Royal Diriyah Opera House project. It is understood that the bid evaluation has reached the final stages and the contract will likely be finalised in March.

  In January, the client also asked firms to prequalify for a contract to build a new museum in the DG2 area of the Diriyah project.

  MEED previously reported that Diriyah Company had asked firms to prequalify for another contract covering the infrastructure development works in the DG2 area of Diriyah.

  Developed by Diriyah Company, the Diriyah masterplan envisages the city as a cultural and lifestyle tourism destination. Located northwest of Riyadh’s city centre, it covers 14 square kilometres and combines 300 years of history, culture and heritage with hospitality facilities.

  The company awarded several significant contracts last year, including two major contracts worth over SR16bn ($4bn). These include an estimated $2bn contract awarded to a joint venture of El-Seif Engineering & Contracting and China State to build the North Cultural District.

  In late July, Diriyah also awarded a $2.1bn package to a joint venture of local contractor Albawani and Qatar’s Urbacon to construct assets in the Wadi Safar district of the gigaproject.

  In December, MEED reported that Diriyah Company had awarded an estimated SR5.8bn ($1.5bn) contract to local firm Nesma & Partners for its Jabal Al-Qurain Avenue cultural district, located in the northern district of the Diriyah Gate project.

  Once complete, Diriyah will have the capacity to house 100,000 residents and visitors.

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  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13497960/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal