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Sharjah sets November deadline for water project

18 October 2023

Qualified bidders for the contract to develop the UAE northern emirate of Sharjah's first independent water project (IWP) have been given more time to prepare their proposals.

State utility Sharjah Electricity, Water & Gas Authority (Sewa) extended the tender closing date for the contract to develop the Hamriyah seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) IWP scheme from 12 October to 27 November, according to an industry source.

The initial last day for bid submission was in early August.

MEED reported in April that Sewa and representatives from qualified bidders had completed a site visit to the project's proposed location.

According to an industry source, representatives from the following companies participated in the site visit on 26 April:

  • Acciona (Spain)
  • Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia)
  • Aljomaih Electricity & Water (Saudi Arabia) / Sogex (Oman)
  • Engie (France)
  • GS Inima (Spain/South Korea) / Almar (Spain)
  • Marubeni (Japan)

Sewa issued the request for proposals (RFP) for the contract earlier this year, although it has not issued an official list of companies that can bid for the contract.

The proposed Hamriyah IWP will have a capacity of 90 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD).

The state utility issued the request for qualifications for the contract in October 2022 and received responses the following month.

Sewa will procure the water produced from the plant under a long-term water-purchase agreement. It will also invest in the project company that will develop the project.

A transaction advisory team led by Netherlands-headquartered KPMG is understood to be advising the client on the project.

A 20 MIGD reverse osmosis plant already exists in Hamriyah. It is being upgraded by Metito, which won the contract in March last year to dismantle and replace the existing equipment and structure, renovate the SWRO system and implement additional membranes in eight skids.

Other UAE state utilities, Abu Dhabi's Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) and Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa), are expanding their water desalination capacity using reverse osmosis technology to boost the security of water supply as well as to promote energy efficiency.

Over $12bn-worth of IWP and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) water desalination projects are in the pre-execution phase in the GCC region, according to the latest data from MEED Projects. Approximately $8.5bn is under construction.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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