The Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA) of United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a consortium consisting of ACWA Power, a global leader in water desalination and power generation, and MDC Power Holding Company LLC, an entity fully owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC (Mubadala), has entered into a water purchase agreement for a 150 million imperial gallon per day desalination plant in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain. The plant will utilize Seawater Reverse Osmosis technology.

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

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 utilize 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 optimize water production and meet the increasing demand for water in the country.