Construction of $4.4bn 700MW CSP plant in UAE is on track

The construction of the 700MW Concentrated Solar phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai is on track despite Covid-19 pandemic, said project owner´s engineer Australian engineering firm Worley.

When completed, the USD 4.4 billion project will be the largest CSP project in the world with 600 MW parabolic basin complex, a 100 MW solar tower, and 250 MW photovoltaic panels. The tower will be the largest in the world at 260 meters. The project will also have the largest thermal energy storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, which allows for energy generation round the clock.

The contractors worked on measures to keep the workers on-site safe and to minimize labor, schedule and budged disruption. Project's engineering, procurement and construction contractor Shanghai Electric provided the PEE to the workers and implemented virus prevention and control procedures.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) awarded the 700 MW Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) fourth phase (DEWA IV) of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai to a consortium formed by ACWA Power and Shanghai Electric. The consortium together with DEWA has formed the Noor Energy 1 entity to design, build, and operate the project.

The concentrated solar power (CSP) elements can generate enough electricity to meet the demand of over 270,000 residencies in Dubai, offsetting 1.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per year.

VP of Energy Transition for Worley explained: “It’s a credit to every stakeholder involved that this strategically important project has progressed minimising schedule impacts despite facing significant logistical, staffing and supply chain challenges. It is a real testament to the commitment of the UAE to lead on the energy transition and showcases the combination of geographical distribution and strong capabilities of the contractors and subcontractors, to adapt their approach to work around COVID-19, on what was already a technically challenging build.”