The investment arm of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) has signed an agreement to construct the Fujairah 1 desalination plant, a project aimed at strengthening water security in the Northern Emirates.

The project will be built at the Port of Fujairah in collaboration with NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas. It will have a production capacity of 60 million imperial gallons of water per day, with an investment value of AED 1.046 billion, equivalent to $284.8 million.

EtihadWE, formerly known as the Federal Electricity and Water Authority, is responsible for providing electricity and desalinated water in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.

The Fujairah 1 project utilizes seawater reverse osmosis technology and is EtihadWE's second independent water project under a public-private partnership framework. The first project of this type was the Naqa'a plant, which has a daily capacity of 150 million imperial gallons.

Mohammed Al Shehhi, CEO of EtihadWE’s development and investment unit, stated that the project is part of the company's efforts to develop reliable, efficient, and future-ready water assets capable of meeting growing demand and the long-term needs of customers.

He added that EtihadWE has several other projects based on seawater reverse osmosis technology under development, which will be announced at the appropriate time.

The UAE relies heavily on seawater desalination for drinking and industrial water. Since 2017, through the implementation of the Water Security Strategy 2036, the country has sought to reduce water demand, increase the reuse of treated water, and strengthen emergency reserves.

According to officials from the implementing companies, the project will play a significant role in supporting water security and sustainable growth in the UAE.