Shuqaiq Water and Electricity Company commenced operation of its plant on Friday, the company’s chairman announced on Monday.
Madani A. Alagi added that the plant is currently producing 212,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day.
“This accomplishment is in line with the government’s objective of meeting the increasing demand for water in the southern region of the Kingdom. Shuqaiq will mainly supply the Jazan and Asir areas,” the chairman said.
Alagi said the company had an overall target of completing all contractual requirements on time and within a set budget.
Recently, the company started supplying electricity at a capacity of 340 megawatts per hour (MWh).
Shuqaiq is an independent water and power plant (IWPP) built in accordance with Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Authority regulations and World Bank and IFC environmental standards, as well as the Kyoto Protocol. “The quantity of desalinated water produced will have a positive effect in meeting the high consumption of water during the summer season in the Jazan and Asir areas. In addition, this reconfirms the statement by Abdullah Al-Hossein, minister of water and electricity, that the problems facing local residents regarding water shortages will be alleviated,” Alagi said.
Construction of the SR7.2 billion ($1.9 billion) project commenced in May 2007.
In addition to the current production of 212,000 cubic meters a day of desalinated water, the facility will also generate 850MWh of electricity by the end of the year.
The project includes 16 reverse osmosis units to desalinate water and three 280MW turbine and boiler units with flue gas desulphurization to generate power, as well as an electrical substation connecting the plant to the Saudi Electric Company grid.
ACWA Power International, led by its Chairman Mohammed A. Abunayyan, is the lead developer of the project.
This is the fourth of seven similar projects it is responsible for in the Kingdom. Once all projects are completed, up to 2.3 million cubic meters per day and 6,200 MWh of electricity in total will be produced.
The seven projects are spread across the eastern, western and southern regions of the Kingdom.
"Shuqaiq’s accomplishments in achieving commercial production of the water desalination plant within the contracted time limit is a strong indicator of the success of the government’s partnerships with the private sector under the umbrella of its water and power privatization program," Abunayyan said.
Shuqaiq’s chairman said the project should reach full commercial production by the end of 2010.
“This achievement will validate the success of public private partnerships in vital industries, creating job opportunities, opening new investment channels for local funds and attracting foreign investment," Abdul Aziz Al-Mahdi added.