Saudi Arabia seeks bids for major SWRO desalination plant
RIYADH, December 31, 2020
Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has issued requests for qualification (RFQs) for the development of a independent desalination plant in Ras Mohaisen area of the kingdom.
Located 300 km south of Makkah on the Red Sea coast in the Western Province, the Ras Mohaisen Independent Water Project will be designed using seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination technology and include all associated infrastructure and facilities.
On completion, the new IWP will boast a total treatment capacity of 300,000 cu m per day, said a statement from SWPC. The project's commercial operation date has been set as 2024, it added.
According to SWPC, a total of 44 companies have expressed their interests in the key SWRO project
led by French heavyweights Engie, Veolia and Saur Sas (France); Hydro Industries (UK); Marubeni (Japan); J&P and Archirodon (Cyprus); Essar Power and VA Tech Wabag (India); Strukton (Netherlands) in addition to Spanish industrial majors - GS Inima Environment, Acciona Agua, Aqualia and Cobra.
Of these EoIs, 21 are from Saudi companies including regional utility giant Acwa Power, the local unit of Korean builder Posco as well as Marafiq, Sajco, AlSharif Group, Nesma, AlKawther Industries, Mowah Company and Consolidated Contractors Company.
Aso some GCC players such as Metito Utilities and Utico (UAE); Orascom Construction and Elsewedy (Egypt) and Bahrain-based Lamar Holding are in the race, according to SWPC.
Following the tender bid, the winning group, through a project company to be incorporated, would develop the project and sell the entire capacity and output to the company under a 25 year concession pursuant to a Water Purchase Agreement, it stated.
KPMG Al Fozan & Partners have been roped in as lead and financial advisors, while Eversheds Sutherland (International) is the legal advisor and WSP the technical advisor.-TradeArabia News Service
