Construction works for the 3B independent water project, which is located approximately 65 kilometres north of the Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia, have officially begun following a groundbreaking ceremony carried out by the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) led by Khaled Z AlQureshi.
The project will be implemented on a build, own, operate (BOO) model by a consortium led by France’s Engie along with its Saudi partners Nesma Company and Abdulaziz Al Ajlan Sons for Commercial and Real Estate Investment Company under a US$ 692M contract. The consortium was awarded the project in June 2021 after their submission of a bid with a tariff of SAR 1.591 per cubic meter of potable water to the SWPC.
When complete the plant will be maintained and operated by the consortium for a period of 25 years after which it will be handed over to Saudi authorities. The plant will supply water to the Qassim and Riyadh regions.
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The 3B independent water project to embrace clean energy
The plant will also include an impressive solar facility that gives 61 megawatts, which would be the largest in-house solar capability for a desalination plant in Saudi Arabia. This will contribute to helping the country to optimize the consumption of electricity as well as reduce grid reliance.Â
The project’s use of solar energy aligns directly with the country’s Vision 2030 and net-zero objectives. The initiatives aim to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependency on fossil fuels while driving the shift to the use of cleaner energy. Â
