Spanish infrastructure company Abengoa, along with its consortium partners SepcoIII (Power China) and Sidem (Veolia), has handed over Rabigh 3 desalination plant to Acwa Power following its completion.

 

It is currently the world largest reverse osmosis desalination plant in commercial operation, with a capacity of 600,000 cu m per day.

 

The desalination plant has successfully passed the start-up phase and is already supplying water to the network at full capacity to Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC). 

 

Rabigh 3 will ensure the supply of drinking water to more than three million people in the cities of Makkah Al Mokarramah, Jeddah and Mastorah. 

 

The contract for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of this project was awarded in 2018 to the consortium led by Abengoa.

 

Commending the plant's construction team for achieving this major milestone despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Abengoa said the Rabigh 3 is an important reference in the desalination sector worldwide not only because of its size, but also because it is an example of efficiency, innovation and sustainability in its design and construction, which allows it to reduce energy consumption and increase the plant's availability. 

 

"Rabigh 3 project has exceeded six million working hours without lost-time accidents, achieving the highest levels of occupational risk prevention standards and complying with the established health and safety objectives," said a company spokesman.

 

"Abengoa, a leader in the international desalination market, currently has five plants under construction and a total installed capacity of 2.4 million cu m/day, spread over more than 30 desalination plants in 13 countries, which will be increased to 4.3 million when the portfolio under execution is completed," he added.-TradeArabia News Service