Dubai's DEWA and Saudi Acwa sign deal for phase 2 of Hassyan desalination plant

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi Arabia's utilities major Acwa Power have officially signed an agreement to develop the second phase of the seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) desalination project at the Hassyan complex in Dubai. Under the deal, the project company will be responsible for developing, financing, constructing and operating the plant. DEWA will hold a 60 percent stake, while Acwa will own the remaining 40 percent.

What the deal covers

The two companies signed a 30-year water purchase and shareholder agreement valued at 1.76 billion UAE dirhams ($478 million). The second phase will have a production capacity of about 60 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD), or 272,000 cubic metres per day. The first phase produces 180 MIGD, developed at an investment of AED 3.36 billion as Dubai's first project under the independent water producer (IWP) model; DEWA said in January 2026 that it was 90 percent complete and scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027.

Scale once complete

Once both phases are completed, the Hassyan IWP will have a total production capacity of 240 MIGD, making it the world's largest seawater RO desalination plant, and Dubai's total desalinated water production capacity will reach 735 MIGD by 2029. No completion date for the second phase has been disclosed. Acwa signed a water purchase agreement with DEWA for the project in October.

(File photo: a seawater desalination plant, not directly related to the Hassyan project.)