Electricity and Water Authority: Utility Account Brief

Executive overview

Key findings

US$464.97 million: estimated cost of the Al Jasra 400 kV station, inaugurated 20 January 2026, with a US$200 million Islamic Development Bank loan

US$407 million: Al Dur 2 water transmission and storage programme, lender financing approved in 2022

2 private plants in procurement: Hidd Independent Water Project (up to 60 MIGD) and Sitra Independent Water and Power Project (at least 1,200 MW and 30 MIGD); neither awarded as of 7 November 2026

B / B / B2 (negative): Kingdom of Bahrain sovereign ratings from S&P, Fitch and Moody's (2025–2026)

Buyer relevance

Who the report is for

Desalination equipment and O&M suppliers

See that Acwa is the lowest Sitra bidder and the only remaining Hidd bidder, and plan an approach through the developer before award.

Grid equipment makers and substation contractors

Track the nine 66 kV substations staged 2026–2028 and the Sitra 400 kV packages held by Siemens Energy and Hitachi Energy.

Metering and leak-detection firms

Prepare for flow-meter replacement under EWA's plan to reach 23% water loss by 2032.

Business development teams entering the Gulf

Use the Opportunity Register and commercial priorities to decide which of 12 EWA programmes to pursue first.

Decision scope

Questions answered

Which EWA procurements are active?

Hidd (up to 60 MIGD), Sitra (at least 1,200 MW and 30 MIGD), the Hawar intake, outfall and storage packages and the 100 MW BAJ Solar IPP were all in procurement on 7 November 2026.

Who already holds EWA's grid work?

Siemens Energy holds the Sitra 400 kV substation (US$127m), Hitachi Energy the transformers and reactors (US$47.1m), and Al-Kooheji Electrical the nine 66 kV substations.

How is EWA's grid financed?

Development lenders provide US$470.21 million of about US$872 million across Al Jasra and Al Dur 2 water transmission, including a US$200 million IsDB loan.

What is the counterparty risk?

Bahrain is rated B by S&P and Fitch and B2 with a negative outlook by Moody's, and a draft law would move EWA's assets and liabilities to a national company.

Inside the report

Inside the complete report

1. The Account at a Glance

2. Organisation and Decision-Making

3. Financial Position

4. Priorities and Pressures

5. How Electricity and Water Authority Buys

6. Opportunity Register

7. Commercial Priorities: Where to Focus First

8. Watch List: What to Monitor and What to Do

Source Register

Public preview

What to watch next

Sitra IWPP award (expected by end-2026)

Largest plant contract in the current round.

Hidd IWP award

Bahrain's first independent water-only project; published dates differ (Q2 2028 or by 2029).

Tender Board openings

Bid prices and bidders for EWA packages are published.

Water loss plan tenders

Flow-meter replacement is due to start in 2026.

Landscape report page with a table of EWA projects showing status labels, stage at November 2026, delivery contractors, supplier categories, next milestone and how to access. — Sample page · page 6 of 10
The Opportunity Register: status, stage, contractors, supplier categories and route in for each EWA programme.

Included

What you receive

The complete PDF report: 10 pages, 9 sections, 6 tables and a register of 21 sources.

This edition

November 2026, First edition.

Evidence & method

Evidence and method

The brief draws on EWA's Statistical Books and announcements, MEED and Bahraini press reports on bids, awards and loans, and rating agency coverage, all checked on 7 November 2026.

Sources

21 sources, listed in the report's source register. Evidence current to 7 November 2026. Principal data periods: EWA Statistical Books 2016–2024 (primary year 2024); project, procurement, financing, tariff and legislative status checked against public sources on 7 November 2026. Currency is the Bahraini dinar (BD), with US dollar equivalents (US$) as the sources report them..

Lead analyst

Robert C. Brears

Founder, Our Future Water Intelligence

Robert C. Brears is a water-security specialist and author whose work examines utility governance, infrastructure investment, climate resilience and long-term water-system change for executive and policy audiences.

Decision-focused utility intelligence
Published water-policy author
Evidence-grounded system analysis

Buyer FAQs

Before you purchase

Who can use the report?

Licensed for internal use within one purchasing organization. The PDF and its contents may be shared with colleagues within that organization. External redistribution, resale and public publication are prohibited without permission.

How is the report delivered?

The PDF is available to download immediately after confirmed payment, through our secure delivery system.

Can my organization buy wider access?

Institutional purchasing: For invoice enquiries, multi-organization licensing or broader access requirements, contact Our Future Water Intelligence.