Acciona and partners win €750m contract for Shuqaiq 3 desalination plant

Acciona and its consortium partners have secured a €750m contract from Water and Electricity Company (WEC) to finance, design and build the new Shuqaiq 3 desalination plant in Saudi Arabia.

The company will also operate and maintain the plant for a period of 25 years. The contract will be operated under a build, own and operate (BOO) model.

Other consortium partners are Marubeni Corporation, Abdul Latif Jameel-CDC and Rawafid Alhadarah Holding.

Throughout the project, Acciona will be involved as an investor, sole EPC (turnkey) contractor, and as a majority partner in operation and maintenance.

Shuqaiq 3 will be located on the shores of the Red Sea and is scheduled for completion in 2021. It uses inverse osmosis technology and will have a capacity to process 450,000m³ on a daily basis.

Additionally, the Shuqaiq 3 plant will incorporate a solar photovoltaic facility to reduce its specific power consumption.

The project is part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to transform and modernise its water industry by upgrading its fresh water production facilities.

Acciona noted that is the company’s third desalination plant in Saudi Arabia and will enable it to provide water to around three million people.

In July last year, the company secured the contract valued at more than €200m to build the Al–Khobar 1 desalination plant.

The facility has a capacity to serve a population of 350,000 and also supplies water to oil company Aramco.

Acciona secured a contract in 2012 to design, build and commission the Al Jubail seawater desalination plant.