The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) intends to ensure desalinated water is supplied to all regions with the implementation of several developmental projects in Madina, Haqal, Dhiba and Rabigh, according to Fehaid Al-Shareef, Governor of the SWCC. He told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the Kingdom produces 3.4 million cubic meters of desalinated water to quench the thirst of the population every day. He said the SWCC has set a timeline to allow the private sector to participate in the implementation of some current and future projects. Al-Shareef said that the daily production of desalinated water from SWCC desalination plants is about 3.4 million cubic meters and provides 5,029 megawatts of electricity; and that the pipelines to cities are over 5,000 kilometers long. Future projects Al-Shareef said: “There are future projects for the next phase on the eastern and western coasts. These projects include the construction of the Yanbu-Madina desalination plant with daily desalinated water production capacity of 550,000 cubic meters and 2,500 megawatts; the Rabigh desalination plant with daily desalinated water production capacity of 9,000 cubic meters; the Haqal desalination plant with daily production of 9,000 cubic meters; and the Dhiba desalination plant with daily production of 9,000 cubic meters.” “The Yanbu-Madina Water Pipelines Project is being implemented with pipelines 597 kilometers long and a diameter of 24 to 76 inches with a capacity of 560,000 cubic meters.” The contract for a project of pipelines at Laith was signed, Al-Shareef added. “The pipelines are 85.5 kilometers long and have a diameter of five to eight inches with a capacity of 4,500 cubic meters. Another water project for Rabigh-Khulais is being designed with pipelines with a diameter of 16 inches and a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters of water.” Private sector participation Al-Shaqeeq and Al-Shuaibah desalination plants were the first projects implemented with the participation of the private sector, Al-Shareef said. “Al-Shuaibah represents a qualitative leap in the field of desalinated water and electricity production. The project provides desalinated water and electricity to Makkah, Jeddah, Taif and Al-Baha. The quantity of water production is estimated to be 880,000 cubic meters per day. The project generates 900 megawatts of electricity. Shaqeeq, on the other hand, provides desalinated water and electricity to Asir and Jizan regions. The quantity of water production is estimated to be 212,000 cubic meters per day. The project generates 850 megawatts of electricity.” The SWCC has put the Ras Al-Khair Project out for tender but the alliance of local and international c ompanies who won the tender could not procure funds to implement the project due to the global financial crisis, Al-Shareef explained. The Saudi government decided to fund the project from its budget, thus the project was put out for public sector tender. __
