Ewec taps EDF + Kowepco for Al Ajban project: The Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has selected a consortium comprising France’s EDF and Korea Western Power (Kowepco) to develop the 1.5 GW Al Ajban solar IPP project for an estimated investment ticket of USD 748 mn, Asharq Business reports, citing a Koewpco statement.

What we know: The plant will break ground in June and is set for completion in 2026. The consortium estimates the plant will generate around USD 2.24 bn in revenues and Ewec will be the sole offtaker for the project for a period of 30 years.

About the project: Al Ajban — Ewec’sthird solar power project — is expected to generate enough electricity to power c. 160k homes across the country, according to the statement. It is set to raise Ewec’s total solar power capacity to c. 4 GW and slash Abu Dhabi’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to 2.4 mn tons annually. The company had originally planned to award the project by 4Q last year.

Ewec has more in the works: The company invited developers to submit expressions of interest to establish its 1.5 GW Khazna solar farm last September and launched a tender process for a battery energy storage system project to complete the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the greenfield facility with a power capacity of 400 MW.

Not the consortium’s first regional project: EDF and Kowepco are also currently developing Oman’s 500 MW Manah solar project. The plant will boast around 1 mn bifacial PV modules and provide clean energy for approximately 50k homes while offsetting 780k tons of CO2 annually.

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