UAE to get new Dh1 billion desalination plant in Fujairah

Dubai: UAE to get new Dh1 billion Fujairah desalination plant, with a total investment value of Dh1.046 billion, after Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) signed a new agreement on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates 2026.

The development and investment arm of EtihadWE has signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement with NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas for the Fujairah I Independent Water Producer (IWP) project, a 60 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant.

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The Dh1 billion contract was awarded to NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas. The facility will be located at the Port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, with access to existing maritime and land infrastructure. It will include storage capacity equivalent to 18 hours of production.

This marks EtihadWE’s second project developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, following the Naqa’a IWP, which has a capacity of 150 MIGD.

30-month construction

Construction is expected to take around 30 months, covering civil works, system installation, and commissioning. Initial operations will begin at partial capacity before reaching full output of 60 MIGD.

Once operational, the plant will supply desalinated water to households, businesses, and industrial users in Fujairah and across EtihadWE’s service areas, particularly during peak demand periods.

The project forms part of EtihadWE’s broader strategy to expand water production using energy-efficient reverse osmosis technology, aimed at strengthening long-term water security in the UAE.

NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas will jointly deliver the project through Lantania NMDC Water, combining marine construction capabilities with desalination technology expertise to execute the large-scale facility.