Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) in the United Arab Emirates has issued an order to start early works for the construction of the Taweelah Reverse Osmosis Independent Water Project in Abu Dhabi. The project includes development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of a greenfield reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 200 million imperial gallons of water per day, and the associated infrastructure. The facility will be located at the Taweelah power and water complex, around 45km north of the city of Abu Dhabi. The project value is more than US$ 700 million. 

Abengoa, an international company that applies innovative technological solutions for sustainable development in the infrastructure, energy and water sectors,  in a consortium with the engineering and construction company SEPCOIII, the leader in the development, investment, ownership, and operation of energy generation and desalinated water, has received the order to start works, for the engineering, supply and construction of what will be the largest reverse osmosis desalination plant in the world. This project, located on the Persian Gulf coast, is a part of the United Arab Emirates government plan to encourage private participation in the development of the country's infrastructure. The desalination plant will have the capacity to supply approximately four and a half million people.

With a capacity of 909,000 m3/day, it will guarantee supply to the city of Abu Dhabi throughout the year and will be the first desalination plant in the emirate on a large scale that combines the production of potable water with the generation of clean energy, thanks to the installation of a photovoltaic solar field of more than 40 MWp of power. Thus the energy demand of the desalination plant will be reduced in a sustainable manner.

The scope of the project includes the collection of seawater, pumping, pretreatment, reverse osmosis system with energy recovery, post-treatment, pumping station, product water storage, effluent treatment, discharge by outfall and field solar photovoltaic, as well as the associated electrical installations that comprise the construction of an electrical substation of 132/34.5 kV.