Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) last month (July) announced that top Saudi utility developer Acwa has emerged as the sole bidder for the Hidd Independent Water Project (IWP). 

The company had submitted a levellised cost of water (LCOW) bid of BD0.276 per cu m.

Earlier in March, EWA had declared that apart from Acwa it had received bids from Spanish utility major GS Inima Environment for the landmark IWP, following its international tender announcement.

A major seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in the kingdom, Hidd IWP will be implemented on a build-own-operate (BOO) basis. On completion, it will boast a 11,364-cu-m-per-hour capacity, thus contributing substantially to the kingdom’s potable water supply and supporting growing residential, commercial, and industrial demand, said EWA in its tender notification.

The Hidd IWP Project reflects Bahrain’s continued commitment to expanding its desalination capacity through private sector participation and advanced water treatment technologies, ensuring long-term sustainability, it added.