GS Inima Secures Build-Own-Operate Contract for Shuweihat 4 Reverse Osmosis Seawater Desalination Plant

GS Inima and TAQA have signed a Water Purchase Agreement with EWEC for the Shuweihat 4 RO IWP, a 70 million imperial gallons per day seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant.

EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the comprehensive coordination of planning, purchasing and supply of water and electricity in the United Arab Emirates, has awarded to GS Inima, in consortium with Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA), one of the largest integrated utilities companies listed in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Build – Own – Operate (BOO) contract for the Shuweihat 4 Reverse Osmosis Independent Water Project (IWP) (S4 RO) in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The S4 RO project will be located within the Shuweihat Power and Water Complex and will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the stand-alone seawater desalination plant. The plant will desalinate seawater using low-carbon reverse osmosis technology and supply up to 70 million imperial gallons per day of drinking water, equivalent to 318,225 cubic meters per day, thus improving the security of water supply in the region. from Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi.

GS Inima, together with TAQA and EWEC, has announced the successful financial close of AED 1.6 million (USD 444 million). The project is primarily funded (71%) through debt financing. The transaction involved both local and international banks, including Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH (KFW) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM). The S4 RO financial closing comes after TAQA and GS Inima signed the water purchase agreement with EWEC in August 2023.

The Scheduled Project Commercial Operation Date is expected in Q2 2026. The S4 RO project will be 60 per cent owned by TAQA, while the remaining 40 percent will be owned by GS Inima. Both companies will also be responsible for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the plant, with GS Inima having a 60 percent stake in the O&M company and TAQA maintaining the remaining 40 percent. EWEC will procure water supplied by the plant for 30 years.

“The financial closing of the Shuweihat 4 RO Plant, with these prominent institutions, was possible thanks to our cooperation and the joint efforts of our client, partner, financial entities and GS Inima. . It demonstrates our agility, resilience, and unwavering commitment to creating a sustainable future and achieving UAE’s net-zero targets, positioning Abu Dhabi as a low-carbon desalination hub,” said Marta Verde CEO, GS Inima.

The plant has been designed to produce the requested capacity of drinking water with the highest standard of quality and sufficient flexibility to easily adapt to raw seawater conditions. The proposed design is based on industry best practices and cutting-edge technologies. It has been designed for average annual high availability during the operational period.

“This new joint project with EWEC and TAQA confirms the position of GS Inima as a global player in the development of large-scale RO desalination and marks the company's entry into the UAE. Working with EWEC and TAQA for the first time is a great achievement and at the same time a great challenge to achieve common goals through innovative and reliable solutions to support the UAE's sustainable water desalination initiatives,” said Marta Verde CEO, GS Inima.

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