Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power have announced the financial closing of the 180 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) seawater reverse osmosis (RO) desalination project in Hassyan.

This project is a part of DEWA’s strategy to enhance Dubai’s water desalination capacity.

It is the world’s largest project of its kind using RO technology under the Independent Water Producer (IWP) model, with an investment of AED 3.4 billion ($914 million).

DEWA is building water production plants based on seawater reverse osmosis technology, which requires less energy than multi-stage distillation plants, making it a more sustainable option for desalination, said CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

By 2030, DEWA aims to produce 100% of desalinated water with clean energy and waste heat, he added.