Siemens bags Dh1.7b Abu Dhabi power plant contract

31 March 2009

Abu Dhabi has awarded a Dh1.7-billion ($462 million) contract to Siemens Energy to build a combined cycle power and desalination plant at Shuweihat.

The Shuweihat 2 power plant is expected to produce 1,500 MW of power and 455,000 cu.m./d of desalinated water, which will be pumped into the local water supply network.

The plant is scheduled to be operational by 2011.

The project is being developed by a joint venture of the local utility Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and GDF Suez, that was created in September 2007 through the meger of the Franco-Belgian power utility group Suez and French-governement controlled Gaz de France, the prime contractor for the project.

This is Siemens second order from GDF Suez after erection of the Al Ezzel combined cycle power plant in Bahrain and the fifth project for ADWEA in Abu Dhabi.

Under a 20-year agreement ADWEA will be the sole off-taker the entire water and power output of the plant.