RIYADH: Shuqaiq Water and Electricity Plant in Jazan has been completed 70 days ahead of its schedule, the company told Arab News on Saturday.
According to a spokesman from ACWA Power International, the lead developer of this project, Jazan Governor Prince Mohammad bin Nasser visited the facility on Thursday review the completed project accompanied by Madani A. Alagi, chairman of Shuqaiq Water and Electricity Company (SqWEC), and Fehied F. Al-Shareef, governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC).
"The governor's tour of the plant is a reflection of the government's keenness on projects that are of interest to the nation," Alagi said in his brief speech during the tour. "This project, where around 7,000 staff members worked to accomplish it within 25 million hours without any occupational accidents affecting the work flow," he said, adding that it was the first project in the Kingdom to be completed so far ahead of schedule.
The overall production capacity of the project is 212,000 cubic meters of desalinated water daily and 850 MW/h of electricity to supply residents of Jazan and Asir provinces.
Saudi legal reforms set up the general framework for one of the leading privatization programs in the country to allow investors to develop independent water and power projects (IWPPs). The Project is based on a BOO (Build, Own and Operate) basis. It is the third IWPP project in the Kingdom tendered by the Water and Electricity Company. The Supreme Economic Council decision regulates the framework for private sector participation in power and water projects.
The list of shareholders includes the Public Investment Fund (32 percent) and Saudi Electricity Company (8 percent). The remaining 60 percent is owned by Gulf Investment Company, Mitsubishi Company and ACWA Power International.
ACWA Power International is the lead developer of this project, which commenced in March 2007. This is ACWA Power's fourth IWPP among the seven projects it has developed in Saudi Arabia. On completion, the seven projects will produce 2.4 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day and 6500 MW/h of electricity throughout the Kingdom.
© Arab News 2011
