BESIX is awarded the Jebel Ali Power Station SWRO plant

Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) has awarded BESIX, in joint venture with Acciona Agua (Spain), with the contract for the Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant in Jebel Ali Power Station, Dubai. This new desalination project, the first by DEWA using RO technology, reaffirms BESIX as a partner of choice for the sustainable development ambitions of the United Arab Emirates, especially in light of the recent contract for a thermal waste recycling plant awarded to BESIX by Dubai Municipality.

An integrated Joint Venture

For this Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract, BESIX and Acciona Agua (Spain) form a 50/50 Integrated Joint Venture. Acciona Agua, named ‘Water Company of the Year 2017’ at the Global Water Intelligence Awards, is a leader in the water treatment sector. BESIX will execute the necessary marine works, civil works and mechanical and electrical works to deliver a fully operational production plant.  

182.000 m³ a day at full capacity

The facility, due to be operational by May 2020, will have a capacity of 182.000 m³/day, or 40 million imperial gallons a day (MIGD). BESIX will rely on its experience of facing strict deadlines as the time to completion is a total of just 28 months. The plant is located on a compact area within the perimeter of the existing Power and Desalination Station in Jebel Ali, Dubai. During the tendering stage, the JV developed a detailed construction methodology to face this challenge.

BESIX: Excel in creating sustainable solutions for a better world

BESIX Group makes a new major contribution to the sustainable landscape of the United Arab Emirates with the construction of this desalination plant. The SWRO plant can be added to an impressive list of references in the region, following the Jebel Ali water treatment plant (Dubai, UAE), the Hamriyah power and desalination plant (Sharjah, UAE), the SAFI water station (Ajman UAE) and the very recent thermal waste recycling plant (Dubai, UAE).

Pierre Sironval, General Manager Business Unit Middle East: “This contract reaffirms the position of BESIX as a preferred partner for challenging projects in the UAE and it is a new step for us in our strategy of diversification. As our first desalination contract in an integrated joint venture, the SWRO counts as a milestone for our company. We are honored to be able to deliver another desalination plant which will help Dubai to improve its sustainability.”