JEDDAH: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) says that work on the Shuqaiq-II Independent Water and Power Plant (IWPP) in Jazan is ahead of schedule and should be completed before May 1, the deadline for initial commercial operation.
The Japanese company is responsible for the engineering, procurement and construction of the 850MW plant, which is one of the Water & Electricity Company’s (WEC) four IWPP projects and represents a significant development in helping satisfy Saudi Arabia’s demand for water and power. The other three projects are at Shoaiba, Ras Al-Zour and Jubail.
According to Wansoo Lee, deputy administration manager of MHI’s Shuqaiq project site office, as of Dec. 25 the project was over 93 percent completed and progress was ahead of schedule.
MHI is the nominated contractor of the Mitsubishi Corporation-led consortium that was selected out of 13 national and international groups by WEC in 2006 to build the plant.
Nizar Kammourie, general manager of SAWACO, a water desalination plant in Jeddah, described the progress of work at Shuqaiq-II as “excellent.” He said its timely operation would pave the way for more similar projects that are key to solving water and power shortfalls in the Kingdom.
Shuqaiq-II’s power and desalination units are located adjacent to the existing Shuqaiq-I power and desalination complex, 105 km south of Abha and 140 km north of Jazan, on the southwestern Red Sea coast.
The Shuqaiq region is isolated and far from any main city. Lee himself said it was hard for MHI employees to settle.
“We hope that our project enables the Shuqaiq region to be settled by many people and industries and become vibrant.”
The plant will supply power to the Saudi Electric Company’s (SEC) southern grid and water to Abha, Jazan and other southern cities.
