• 04 Feb 2014
  • UAE

TAQA and FEWA to develop water desalination plant in Ajman

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – TAQA, the international energy and water company from Abu Dhabi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA) to develop a standalone seawater desalination plant in Al Zawra in the Emirate of Ajman.The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi by H.E. Mohammed Mohammed Saleh, Director General of FEWA and Carl Sheldon, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA). in the presence of H.E. Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Chairman of Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA) and H.E. Hamad Al-Hurr Al-Suwaidi, Chairman of TAQA.Al Zawra independent water project (IWP) will have a capacity of 30 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD), enough to supply 250,000 people in the Northern Emirates with clean drinking water. H.E. Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority, said: “The Al Zawra project demonstrates the UAE’s determination to  develop and apply new technologies that will protect the security of water supply while actively working towards greater energy efficiency.”H.E. Hamad Al-Hurr Al-Suwaidi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TAQA, said: “At a time of strong demographic and economic growth across the UAE, and particularly in the Northern Emirates, this project will ensure that sufficient water infrastructure is in place to meet increasing demand.”H.E. Mohammed Mohammed Saleh, Director General of FEWA, commented: “The Northern Emirates are developing at an increasing pace and the demand for water will continue to grow. FEWA has allocated significant funds for developing water and electricity projects there, over the coming three years. Al Zawra is a crucial element in that strategy.”The Ajman facility will use the reverse osmosis process, where salt and impurities are removed from the water by pushing it through a semi-permeable membrane. Unlike most of the UAE’s existing desalination capacity, which is based on thermal technologies and tied to power plants, reverse osmosis plants run on electricity. This means they can be run more efficiently and located close to consumption areas, enhancing the security of water supply.According to the development plan, the project would be owned by FEWA and TAQA, underpinned by a long-term water purchase agreement with FEWA and funded with project finance. Construction is expected to start in early 2015 and the plant would begin commercial operations in 2017.TAQA, one of the largest desalination companies in the world, is majority owner of eight power and water plants across the UAE supplying 98% of Abu Dhabi’s power and water requirements. TAQA’s plants also supply the Emirates of Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah with clean water.FEWA has reverse osmosis desalination plants in the emirate of Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain with a total production capacity of 50 MIGD.- ENDS -For further information:TAQA Media Relations – Abu DhabiAllan Virtanen
Head of Media
Tel +971 2 691 4894
Mob +971 56 685 2717
Allan.Virtanen@taqa.comAbout TAQA TAQA, meaning energy in Arabic, is the brand name of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC. We are an international energy and water company listed in Abu Dhabi operating in 11 countries across four continents.
We strive to be safe and sustainable, and embrace the challenge of delivering affordable and reliable energy and water. We are proud to align our strategy with Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030, a roadmap for a sustainable economy with a focus on knowledge-based industry.
Our interests lie in conventional and alternative power generation, water desalination, oil and gas exploration and production, pipelines and gas storage. We operate in Canada, Ghana, India, Iraq, Morocco, the Netherlands, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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