A Chinese company has been awarded a contract to build a sea water desalination plant in Iraq to tackle a potable water shortage in the area.

The desalination and hydro-electric facility complex will be constructed by Shanghai Electric Company in the Southern Basra city under an agreement with the Baghdad government, according to Basra Governor’s office.

Basra’s Deputy Governor Mohammed Al-Tamimi discussed the project with officials from the state-owned Shanghai Electric in Baghdad on Thursday, the office said in a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency.

The statement did not provide project details, but the Chinese firm has been awarded another contract to build a $1 billion power plant in the central Diyala governorate.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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