Saudi Arabia's Water & Electricity Company (WEC) has received 15 statements of qualifications (SoQs) from top developers or developer consortiums for setting up an independent sewage treatment project (ISTP) in the Taif region of the kingdom.

Those who have submitted the SoQs include major overseas players such as Acciona Agua (Spain); China Gezhouba Group Company (Beijing); Marubeni Corporation (Japan); Orascom Construction (Egypt); Samsung Engineering Company (Korea); Suez Groupe (France); besides local Saudi companies Al Balagha Investments, Saudi Services for Electro Mechanic Works Company (SSEM) and Al Yamama Company.

The list also includes major consortiums comprising Metito Utilities, Power and Water Utility Company for Jubail and Yanbu (Marafiq) and Mowah Company; China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group and Asma Advanced Solutions; Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios and the International Water Distribution Company (Tawzea); FCC Aqualia and Alkhorayef Group; Mitsui and Miahona Company; and Utico, Toshiba Water Solutions and Majis Industrial Services, said the WEC in its statement.

A strategic project for the Saudi region, Taif Sewage Treatment Plant will be located near the Taif city in the Makkah Province. On completion, it will boast a total ultimate treatment capacity of up to 270,000 cu m per day, it stated.

As the principal offtaker for desalinated, filtered water as well as treated and untreated water, WEC will conduct a competitive process to select a developer or developer consortium for the development, financing, engineering, procurement, construction, implementation, ownership, operation, maintenance and transfer of the project, together with associated infrastructure and facilities.

Under a 25-year sewage treatment agreement with WEC, the project company to be incorporated to develop the project will treat the entire sewage capacity supplied by the Saudi utility firm.

Mizuho Bank is the lead and financial advisor for the project, while White & Case LLP is the legal advisor and WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants the technical advisor.-TradeArabia News Service