ACWA Power plans first green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in Uzbekistan 

ACWA Power already has five existing projects in Uzbekistan including four wind projects (File)
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Updated 19 January 2023
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ACWA Power plans first green hydrogen and green ammonia projects in Uzbekistan 

CAIRO: Saudi-based power generation and water desalination company ACWA Power has signed an agreement to develop Uzbekistan’s first green hydrogen and ammonia facilities. 

The agreement was signed with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy and Uzkimyosanoat, a state-owned chemicals company, with a targeted commissioning date of December 2024. 

The project is set to be connected to an existing ammonia plant in Chirchiq, 45 kilometers from the country’s capital Tashkent, and is expected to generate 3,000 tons of green hydrogen a year. 

“Uzbekistan has emerged as one of the most exciting growth countries for ACWA Power in recent years and is our biggest investment geography outside of the Kingdom. We are proud that our giga scale development experience in green hydrogen is making us the preferred choice of partners across the world,” Mohammad Abunayyan, chairman at ACWA Power, said. 

ACWA Power will oversee the full value chain of integration to this existing infrastructure project to green hydrogen, which is expected to improve the service factor of the facility and reduce its dependence on natural gas. 

The green ammonia project will involve the development of a 500,000-ton green ammonia feasibility study that is set to reduce Uzbekistan’s dependence on natural gas by 600 million cubic meters per year as well as cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million tons a year. 

“As the world continues to grapple with the increasing and devastating impact of climate change, the right solutions are the need of the hour. Green hydrogen is considered to be the fuel of the future and we are confident of applying our global expertise in accelerating the development of this vital source of clean energy for Uzbekistan,” Abunayyan added. 

ACWA Power already has five existing projects in Uzbekistan including four wind projects and a combined gas cycle turbine facility. Uzbekistan stands as the second largest market for ACWA Power in terms of value after Saudi Arabia. 

“We value our collaboration with our long-standing partners, ACWA Power and Uzkimyonosat, and fully support the integration of green hydrogen and its derivatives, which will serve the energy vision of our country,” said Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan. 

Verbund will use the hydrogen produced by the region’s projects as a renewable energy source for Central Europe, primarily Austria, as per the MoU.


New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

Updated 28 January 2026
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New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.

The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.

Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.

The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.

Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.

The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.

In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.