Saudi-listed ACWA Power has inked a deal with the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) to develop Sharjah’s first Independent Water Project (IWP).
The Hamriyah IWP will be developed using seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) technology and generate nearly 272,000 cubic metres per day (m3/day) of desalinated water by Q2 2027.
The plant’s capacity will reach 410,000 m3/day of desalinated water by Q3 2028, resulting in potable water sufficient for 1.4 million people.
“The signing of the agreement to establish a water desalination plant in Al Hamriyah with one of the largest specialist companies in this field aligns with the plan to develop the water sector system in the Emirate of Sharjah.
“It is considered one of the largest investments in water at the emirate level, utilising the latest technologies,” said His Excellency Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, Director General of Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA).
“The new plant will operate using the reverse osmosis system for water desalination and includes the latest post-treatment, filtration, and disinfection technologies,” he added.
ACWA Power’s scope for the project includes the design, build, own, operations and maintenance of the plant.
The site has existing shared intake and outfall facilities, the two parties shared.
“We are delighted to collaborate with SEWA on this landmark project, bringing our total portfolio in the UAE to eight projects in both power and water. This project reinforces ACWA Power’s indisputable global leadership in water desalination, and we look forward to bringing our extensive experience in low-carbon intensive RO desalination to the emirate of Sharjah, providing an end-to-end solution to meet growing demand for clean and affordable water,” commented Marco Arcelli, Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power.
The MENA region is considered to be one of the most water-scarce regions in the world.
Looking ahead, by 2050, the CSIS forecasts that every country in the region will be facing extremely high water stress.
To meet growing demand, by 2030, it is estimated that desalination capacity across the Middle East will have doubled.
However, desalination carries with it a big environmental price tag, as a hugely energy-intensive operation, responsible for vast amounts of toxic waste, and largely using fossil fuels.
The percentage of renewable energy used in desalination has been estimated at around 1 per cent.