Emirates Water and Electricity Co. (EWEC) is now accepting proposals for a 1.5 GW solar project in Abu Dhabi. The tender is open to the 19 bidders who passed the qualification process, following an expression of interest stage last year. The chosen developer or consortium will sign a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Abu Dhabi-based utility.

EWEC has issued a request for proposals (RfP) to developers and consortia that expressed interest in developing a 1.5 GW solar project in the Al Khazna area of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

The tender is open to bidders who passed the qualification process following an expression of interest stage that started in September 2023. EWEC said 27 companies and consortia have submitted expressions of interest, with 19 qualifying for the RfP stage, which gives prospective bidders detailed requirements and proposed technical parameters for the project.

The Kazhna PV project will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the plant and associated infrastructure. The chosen developer or consortium will own up to 40% of the facility, with the remaining equity to be held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi government.

They will also enter into a long-term PPA with EWEC. The PPA will be structured as an energy purchase agreement, whereby EWEC will only pay for the net electrical energy supplied by the plant.

Once fully operational, the Khazna project – along with the Noor Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra PV, and Al Ajban solar installations – will raise EWEC’s total installed PV capacity to 5.5 GW. Khazna alone is expected to generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the United Arab Emirates.

“As our fourth utility-scale solar project, Khazna Solar PV is a significant milestone in our planned development of new solar PV capacity between 2027-2037 to lead the UAE's transition to a sustainable future in alignment with the nation's Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative,” said EWEC Chief Executive Officer Othman Al Ali.

Responses to the RfP are expected during the third quarter of this year. EWEC said it will then hold a public event to confirm the companies and consortia that submit proposals.