U.A.E. – The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Saudi-based ACWA Power have announced the financial closure of a major 818,296 m3/d reverse osmosis desalination project in Hassyan, Dubai. Valued at $920 million, this project will be the largest of its kind globally using reverse osmosis technology under the Independent Water Producer (IWP) model. It supports Dubai’s goal to produce 100% of its desalinated water by 2030 using clean energy and waste heat, aligning with the Dubai Urban Plan 2040 and Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy 2030. The project also sets a world record for the lowest tariff for desalinated water and aims to be fully powered by renewable energy. (ME Construction News)
SOUTH AFRICA – Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has launched a solar-powered desalination plant to improve freshwater supply for the Port of East London, South Africa’s only river port. The $3.28 million contract for this seven-year project has been awarded to a joint venture of Norland Civil Engineers and Contractors and Impact Water Solutions (PTY) Ltd (IWS), operating as Sun Water East London. The facility will produce 500 m3/d of potable water, using renewable energy to lower operational costs and enhance water supply resilience. (Solarquarter)
AUSTRALIA – A contentious debate surrounds the $313 million desalination plant planned for Billy Lights Point near Port Lincoln, deemed crucial by SA Water to prevent a water crisis on the Eyre Peninsula. Critics argue that SA Water's urgency is a ploy to bypass local opposition and that the project’s location threatens sacred Aboriginal sites and could harm local aquaculture. SA Water insists that Billy Lights Point is the only viable site that can be developed before 2026. The local community and native title groups are preparing to challenge the project legally if their concerns are not addressed. SA Water defends the choice of location and claims that environmental reviews have been thorough, asserting that the project remains essential for the region’s future water supply. (INDAILY)
SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi's National Shipping Company (Bahri) anticipates that its floating desalination project will begin commercial operations by mid-2024. The $203 million project, initiated in January 2020, involves constructing three floating desalination stations, each with a capacity of 50,000 m3/d, totaling 150,000 m3/d. A contract signed with Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) in 2019 requires the stations to supply and transfer desalinated water for 20 years. Although trial commissioning of the first barge began in January 2022, full commissioning was delayed to late 2023. The UAE's Metito is the EPC contractor responsible for the construction, having delivered the first barge in January 2022. (ZAWYA)
Saudi's National Shipping Company (Bahri) anticipates that its floating desalination project will begin commercial operations by mid-2024. Credit Metito
AZERBAIJAN – During the ground-breaking ceremony for the Shirvan irrigation canal in Azerbaijan's Hajigabul district, President Ilham Aliyev highlighted an ongoing Caspian Sea desalination project. This initiative aims to enable the use of Caspian Sea water for both irrigation and drinking purposes. Aliyev noted that the project leverages global expertise in desalination and Azerbaijan's access to the Caspian Sea. The goal is to enhance the country’s water resources and address both agricultural and potable water needs. (AZERTAC)
MISCELLANEOUS – ACCIONA won two prestigious awards at the Global Water Intelligence 2024 event. The company was named "Best Desalination Company of the Year" for its significant achievements in desalination, including the Casablanca seawater desalination plant in Morocco and the Alkimos desalination plant in Australia. Additionally, ACCIONA received the "Best Drinking Water Project" award for the Laguna Lake DWTP in the Philippines, a facility with a capacity of 150,000 m3/d designed to improve water quality through advanced treatment processes. The accolades underscore the company's prominent role in advancing desalination and drinking water projects worldwide. (ACCIONA)