Saudi Arabia said to issue tender for Rabigh 3 water project

Saudi Arabia’s Water and Electricity Co. (WEC) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the planned 600,000 cubic metre a day Rabigh 3 independent water project, MEED reported.

Nine prequalified firms have until July 1 to submit proposals for the project.

WEC aims to sign the water purchase agreement by November 1, with financial close expected by December 31, 2018. The scheduled commissioning date for the plant is December 2021, the news agency said.

Among the prequalified groups are:

- Riyadh-based Acwa Power;

- France’s Engie;

- FCC Aqualia (Spain), Nesma (Saudi Arabia), Cobra (Spain), Haji Abdullah Alireza & Company (HAACO);

- Japan-based JGC;

- Malaysia’s Malakoff;

- Marubeni (Japan), Acciona (Spain), Abdullatif Jameel (Saudi Arabia), Rawafid Holding (Saudi Arabia);

- Suez Group (France), El-Seif Engineering (Saudi Arabia), Gulf Investment Corporation (Kuwait);

Valoriza (Spain);

- Veolia (France), Marafiq (Saudi Arabia), Amwal al-Khaleej (Saudi Arabia), Advanced Water (Saudi Arabia);

The reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plant project will have a 25-year concession period, with WEC as the offtaker, supported by a payment guarantee from the government.

Banque Saudi Fransi is the lead adviser for the project, with Germany’s Fichtner Engineering and Consulting as the technical adviser, the UK’s DLA Piper as legal adviser and the UK’s Alderbrook as financial adviser.

The desalination facility will serve Jeddah, Makkah, Taif and surrounding areas.