Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), a leading company in the integrated planning, purchasing, supply, and system dispatch services of water and electricity across the UAE, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of Al Nouf Independent Power Producer (IPP) project.
Al Nouf will be the largest single-site carbon-capture-ready Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant in the UAE. It will be located within the newly established Al Nouf Complex, a coastal site strategically designated to become a major hub for power and water production in Abu Dhabi. The state-of-the-art plant is designed to deliver world-class efficiency, operational flexibility, and lower emissions, supporting the UAE’s long-term decarbonisation agenda.
The Al Nouf Complex will play a pivotal role in the UAE’s energy and water security, with the site carefully selected for its strategic coastal location and ability to accommodate both seawater-cooled power generation and reverse osmosis (RO) desalination technologies.
Designed with long-term scalability in mind, the complex features ample space and infrastructure capacity to support multiple utility-scale energy and desalination projects in the future. This integrated planning approach underscores EWEC’s commitment to developing energy clusters that deliver synergies in performance, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
Al Nouf will closely follow the model of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s successful IPP program, where developers enter into a long-term agreement with EWEC as the sole procurer. It will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the plant, with the successful developer or developer consortium owning up to 40 percent of the entity. The remaining equity will be held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi Government.
Expected to begin commercial operations in the third quarter of 2029, Al Nouf’s efficient natural gas turbine technology will generate up to 3.3 gigawatts of electricity. The RFP shared with bidders outlines comprehensive requirements and technical parameters, encouraging the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) where relevant to improve plant performance, operational efficiency, and predictive maintenance.
The project is also expected to leverage state-of-the-art technologies, including digital twinning and advanced monitoring systems, to optimize lifecycle performance and system resilience. Responses to the RFP are expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.
To ensure efficient and timely project development following the award, EWEC has proactively reserved gas turbines for Al Nouf. This early-stage action will enable the rapid mobilization of resources and reinforce EWEC’s ability to meet future power demand while maintaining system reliability and supporting the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.
