• 10 Oct 2013
  • UAE

Sheikh Hamdan inaugurates power and water plant in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, inaugurated a major new power and water plant in Al Gharbia (Western Region) of Abu Dhabi in the presence of other senior government representatives and dignitaries.Located 260 kilometres southwest of the city of Abu Dhabi, Shuweihat S2 is the latest addition to Abu Dhabi’s power and water infrastructure network. It adds 1,510 megawatts to the Emirate’s generation capacity, enough to power more than 300,000 homes. The plant also produces up to 100 million imperial gallons of potable water each day, representing 15% of Abu Dhabi’s water desalination capacity.Shuweihat 2 is owned by Ruwais Power Company, a joint venture of TAQA (54%), Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) (6%), GDF SUEZ (20%), Marubeni (10%) and Osaka Gas (10%).The Ruwais Power Company partners have invested US$2.7 billion in the construction of Shuweihat S2 with a view to meeting the challenge of providing reliable energy and water to a population in Abu Dhabi predicted to rise to five million by 2030.His Excellency Abdulla Saif Al-Nuaimi, Director-General of ADWEA and Vice Chairman of TAQA, said: “The Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan told us that we must not rely on oil alone as the main source of our national income, advising that we must diversify the sources of our revenue and construct economic projects that will ensure a free, stable and dignified life for the people. The Shuweihat S2 plant site is proof of our commitment to following this guidance, with its good performance in large part due to the contribution of our key equipment suppliers; Siemens, Samsung, C&T and Doosan. In addition to thanking these suppliers and our partners, I would also like to thank the 100 people employed at the plant for helping ensure successful operations over the period of these past 24 months.”Carl Sheldon, Chief Executive Officer of TAQA, said: “We are pleased to be part of this partnership to create greater prosperity for the communities of Al Gharbia through the development of infrastructure and economic growth. By investing in new power and water desalination infrastructure we are helping to ensure energy security and resilience of one the most important engines of Abu Dhabi’s growth.”Addressing the audience, Dirk Beeuwsaert, Chairman of International Power Ltd and Advisor to the President and CEO of GDF SUEZ, said: “We are proud to be here today to mark the successful completion of Shuweihat S2, a power plant which signifies GDF SUEZ’s ongoing commitment to the United Arab Emirates and indeed the broader GCC region. We are especially proud that our Group continues to be part of the process to provide Abu Dhabi with the supply of power and water it needs to sustain its growing economy. The key to the success of any project of this size and complexity is having a robust partnership in place. The successful completion of Shuweihat S2 is testament to the flexibility and efficiency of our project partners.”Electricity and water supply from Shuweihat S2 is transferred to Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Company (ADWEC) under a 25-year purchase agreement. The plant employs approximately 100 people. Under the aegis of Abu Dhabi’s “2030 Economic Vision”, the Shuweihat S2 plant will contribute to the continued economic diversification and community development in Al Gharbia.After speeches by ADWEA and GDF SUEZ, assembled guests and dignitaries witnessed the inauguration ceremony, followed by a tour of the S2 site. Representatives from TAQA, Marubeni and Osaka Gas, were honoured for their contributions towards energy efficiency and diversification, for contributing to the industrial development and living standards of the Western Region and strengthening the leadership position of the UAE in the Arab world.Shuweihat S2 is implemented as part of the privatisation of the water and electricity sector pursued by ADWEA in line with Abu Dhabi Government directives. This privatisation initiative has proven to be one of the most successful in the world in terms of power and water production, foreign investment as well as finance raised from international, regional and local financial institutions.- ENDS -Media contacts:TAQA
Allan Virtanen
Head of Media
Tel +971 2 691 4894
Mob +971 56 685 2717
Allan.Virtanen@taqa.comAbout TAQA
TAQA means energy in Arabic. We are an international energy and water company listed in Abu Dhabi operating in 11 countries across four continents.
We strive to run our company safely and sustainably, operating to the highest ethical standards. We are proud to align our strategy to 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, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Morocco, the Netherlands, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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