Engie has broken ground on the Jubail 3B standalone water project with its partners Nesma Company and Ajlan & Bros Holding. Commissioned by Saudi Water Cooperation, the Jubail 3B plant will use reverse osmosis technology to produce 570,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day. The plant, located 65 kilometers north of Dammam Airport, will supply water to Riyadh and Qasim areas once it goes into commercial operation in 2024 under the terms of a 25-year water purchase agreement.

In June 2021, a consortium led by Engie won the bid for the Jubail 3B project after submitting a bid of SR1.591 per cubic metre of drinking water to SWPC. A statement from Engie said the plant was developed under a public-private partnership structure and will be funded by the consortium and operated and maintained by Engie. Once completed, the plant will have a solar facility with a capacity of 61MWp, which is said to be the largest in-house solar facility for a desalination plant in the kingdom, and will optimise electricity consumption and reduce reliance on the grid.

SWPC CEO Khaled Z Al Qureshi explained that Jubail 3B's use of solar energy is a direct reflection of the 2030 Vision and Net Zero target, which aims to reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels and drive the transition to clean energy. We are delighted to see the construction of the Jubail plant as we look to increase desalinated water supplies throughout Saudi Arabia. The Jubail 3B IWP plant will not only use reverse osmosis, a process desalination technology that is more energy efficient than conventional thermal energy, but will also use renewable solar energy instead of conventional fossil fuels, helping to reduce its carbon footprint. In addition, the plant will provide critical support for local job creation. "

Engie CEO Turki Al Shehri said the launch of construction work on the Jubail 3B plant is another milestone for the group, which is committed to supporting the government's transition to low-carbon, energy-efficient solutions in line with Vision 2030. Al Shehri added that for 30 years, we have been at the forefront of developing independent power and water projects in the Gulf. This latest innovative desalination solution further demonstrates our commitment to supporting regional governments and businesses in delivering sustainable utility solutions in the context of rapid economic growth.

Philippe Lambert, CEO of Jubail 3B, concluded: "With the rapid population and economic growth across the Kingdom, the Jubail 3BIWP plant is essential to provide a safe and sustainable source of water for the local population. Jubail 3B Operation also aims to achieve 90% Saudiification, helping to support employment opportunities for Saudi nationals and local economic growth. We are delighted to have broken ground on the plant today and look forward to full operation in early 2024. Keywords: engineering construction, engineering news

Kindgom has made significant investments in energy and water infrastructure in recent years. In January 2022, Acciona handed over a 450,000 m3/m3 desalination plant to Saudi Water Cooperation, while in March, more than 60 water projects worth $9.33 billion were announced. Neom also launched a brand new subsidiary in March to develop sustainable energy and water systems.Editor/XingWentao