Sembcorp begins expansion of UAE Fujairah 1 seawater desalination plant

Sembcorp Industries is expanding its Fujairah 1 independent water and power plant (IWPP) in the UAE to increase seawater desalination capacity by 30 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD).

The $200m project will use reverse osmosis and multi-stage flash technology to increase the plant’s total seawater desalination capacity from 100MIGD to 130MIGD.

The additional reverse osmosis desalination capacity will make the Fujairah 1 IWPP the largest reverse osmosis desalination facility in the Middle East.

The additional output produced from the desalination facility will be sold to the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Company (ADWEC) under a 20-year water purchase agreement. Sembcorp has an existing 22-year power and water purchase agreement with ADWEC for the existing output of the plant.

Sembcorp group president and CEO Tang Kin Fei said that the expansion of seawater desalination capacity will address the demand for water in the UAE.

"Our plant, strategically located in Fujairah, will enable us to produce desalinated water more economically for our customers," he said.

"The expansion project also enables the use of uncontracted surplus power from the existing plant, hence allowing excess generation capacity to be gainfully utilised to produce the additional water at a competitive cost and enhance our income at the same time."

The Fujairah 1 IWPP is owned and operated by a joint venture between Sembcorp and the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA).

Abu Dhabi Regulations and Supervision Bureau director general Nick Carter said: "This additional expansion is part of an integrated approach to provide high quality drinking water to the northern Emirates and to satisfy the increasing demand in Abu Dhabi."

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Image: Sembcorp has started expansion of the seawater desalination capacity of the Fujairah 1 IWPP in UAE. Photo: courtesy of James Grellier.