Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) announced on 25 November the appointment of Ras Al Khaimah’s Utico as the preferred bidder “to build and operate” the 546,000 m3/d (120 MIGD) Hassyan reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant under independent water producer (IWP) terms.

The appointment follows Utico’s submission of a new world record low bid for the levelized cost of water from the plant of $0.277/m3, easily undercutting the previous world record of $0.413/m3 for Saudi Arabia’s Jubail-3A desalination plant that was awarded to Saudi private developer Acwa Power earlier this year (see chart). (CONTINUED - 619 WORDS)