Development lenders are providing US$470.21 million, under loans approved in 2022 and 2025, towards two of the largest public works run by Bahrain's Electricity and Water Authority (EWA): the Al Jasra 400 kV transmission station and the Al Dur 2 water transmission and storage programme. Together the two projects are costed at about US$872 million.
Al Jasra: a US$200 million IsDB loan
Al Jasra has an estimated cost of US$464.97 million. The Islamic Development Bank lent US$200 million of it, about 43%, under a loan ratified by Law No. 26 of 2025. The station was inaugurated on 20 January 2026. It raised transformer capacity from 975 to 2,000 MVA and lifted Bahrain's GCC interconnection capacity from 926 to 1,359 MW.
Al Dur 2: three lenders for water
The US$407 million Al Dur 2 water transmission and storage programme, approved by Decree-Law (36) of 2022, draws US$80 million from the IsDB, US$95 million from the Saudi Fund for Development and US$95.21 million from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. The government covers the remaining US$137.13 million. The programme is designed to raise water transfer from 744,000 to 971,000 m³ a day. No progress update had been published by 7 November 2026.
Why the money route matters
External loans for EWA projects pass through parliament and royal approval, and those debates are reported publicly. That matters more as sovereign credit tightens: Moody's moved Bahrain's B2 outlook to negative on 18 April 2026, after S&P and Fitch cut the kingdom to B.
Which EWA contracts are open, who already holds the grid, substation and desalination work, and where suppliers should focus first are set out in the brief. The full report, Electricity and Water Authority: Utility Account Brief, is available for USD 499. For a free overview, read the Electricity and Water Authority Utility Snapshot.