Japanese consortium wins Jebel Ali project

A consortium led by Japanese companies Mitsubishi and Toshiba won the US$ 817-million project to develop the "L" power and desalination plant in Jebel Ali. The project will add 860 megawatts of power and 70 million imperial gallons a day of desalination capacity, according to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Commissioning is set for early 2005.

Italy's Fisia Italimpianti is handling the desalination project estimated at more than US$ 270 million. ETA-Ascon and Alstom are also part of the pro-ject. Currently, the installed capacity of Dubai is 4,710 megawatts of electricity and 260 million gallons a day of desalinated water.

The L project is divided into four stages, with the first concentrated on the power generation station using gas turbines. The second stage includes a seawater desalination station. The third includes a 400 kV transformer station, and the final phase will result in a 400 kV overhead transmission and connection lines to connect the L station to the Dubai electricity grid. Meanwhile, the DEWA K station project, also located in Jebel Ali, is on the verge of full commissioning.

Fisia Italimpianti's desalination plant is now operating, and steam turbines for the power plant are undergoing the final phase of testing.