Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) is expected to appoint the developer consortium for the Rayis – Rabigh Independent Water Transmission Pipeline (IWTP) project in the second quarter of 2023, a source told Zawya Projects.

The source said the contract award is expected by the end of second quarter of 2023. He said the project is expected to start commercial operations in the first quarter of 2026, adding that his estimate of the project cost is $250 million.

On 7 March 2023, SWPC said it had received bids from three consortiums for the IWTP project.

  1. Nesma Company, Ajlan & Bros, Mutlaq Al-Ghowairi Company (MGC), and Buhur for Investment Company
  2. Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios; Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies and Orascom Construction
  3. Vision International Investment Company, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) and Gulf Investment Corporation

The Request for Proposal (RFP) tender was issued in August 2022. A total of 14 companies were prequalified to bid for the IWTP project.

The Request for Qualification (RFQ) was issued on 12 December 2021. A total of 31 companies including 14 Saudi companies had expressed their interest in the project.

The Rayis to Rabigh IWTP will have a transmission capacity of 500,000 cubic metres per day and a length of 150 km.  It will provide Makkah and Madinah regions with drinking water.

The consortium will develop the project on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. The project company will provide the entire transmission capacity to SWPC under a 35-year Water Transmission Agreement (WTA).

Synergy Consulting IFA is the Lead and Financial Adviser, Amer Al Amr Law Firm is the Legal Adviser and Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG is the Technical Adviser.

(Reporting by Senthil Palanisamy; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)