Abu Dhabi will be adding over 30 million gallons per day (MGD) of desalination capacity to its water network following a green light for a power and water plant extension at Mirfa.

The Khaleej Times reported that the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, chaired by General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, approved the 1500 megawatt power plant, which will also supply water.

The added capacity will further upgrade the major power and desalination station at Mirfa, 160km west of the Abu Dhabi city.

While Mirfa desalination station B comprised the installation of three new 7.5 MGD multi stage flash (MSF) desalination units, it is thought the new water capacity will be provided through reverse osmosis membranes.

Abu Dhabi has been a long term advocate of thermal desalination so a potential shift away to membrane desalination could eventually see water and power plants located separately.

Earlier this year in the Emirate the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi announced it was two thirds of the way through a trial to construct 30 small scale solar desalination plants (see WWi story).

Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, director general of Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), reportedly said: “The project will satisfy the increasing demand for electricity, which is rising 11% annually.”

Elsewhere in the Middle East, in Qatar the electricity and water producer QEWC (Qatar Electricity & Water Company) – also a historic user of thermal desalination – has tried RO technologies on a smaller scale (see WWi story).

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