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Taqa Water Solutions to launch TSE plant project

18 September 2024

 

Taqa Water Solutions, formerly Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions, is reviewing a previous plan to procure an advanced treated sewage effluent (TSE) plant that has an initial design capacity of 750,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d).

A plan to procure the project could be launched in line with the emirate's circular carbon economy push, Nader Assad Bin Taher, chief operating officer of Taqa Water Solutions, told MEED on the sidelines of the ongoing World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi.

He said that the process is under way to finalise the way forward for the project, which might eventually have a bigger capacity than initially planned.

MEED understands that the final procurement model for the project is also being discussed.

MEED reported in February 2023 that five companies and consortiums had submitted bids for the engineering, procurement and construction contract.

Among those that submitted proposals for the contract on 23 January were Spain's Acciona, UAE-based Tecton Engineering, and a team comprising Spanish contractor Abengoa and local contracting company Emarat Aloula.

It is understood that the project has been put on hold following the expiry of bid bonds.

The initial plan entailed a TSE plant that is expected to have a design capacity of 700,000 cm/d, with the potential to expand this capacity to 950,000 cm/d in a subsequent phase, as MEED reported.

The TSE facility will produce water for higher-end applications compared to TSE produced in a standard sewage treatment plant.

Twelve individual companies and teams were prequalified to bid for the contract in 2022. They were:

  • Abengoa (Spain)
  • Acciona (Spain)
  • Aqualia (Spain)
  • Aquatech (local)
  • Hydropower / BEWG (Germany)
  • Metito / GCC
  • Six Construct (local) / Veolia (France)
  • Sepco 3 (China)
  • Tecnicas Reunidas (Italy)
  • Tecton (local)
  • VA Tech Wabag (India)
  • Orascom (Egypt) / Cobra (Spain)

The scheme is one of the first major water treatment projects to be launched in Abu Dhabi in recent years.

Canada’s Stantec is the project’s technical consultant. 

Bin Taher also confirmed that the bid evaluation process is under way for smaller TSE polishing plant in Abu Dhabi. Located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), the plant has a capacity of 25 million litres a day, or about 25,000 cm/d.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) announced the completion of its agreement to acquire Sustainable Water Solutions Holding Company (SWS Holding), formerly Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company, for AED1.7bn ($463m), earlier this month.

SWS Holding is the sole entity responsible for wastewater collection and treatment, as well as the production of recycled water in Abu Dhabi.

Taqa announced the rebranding of the company as Taqa Water Solutions in mid-September.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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