Shuqaiq Water & Electricity Company (SqWEC) has started commercial operation of its water desalination units with a capacity of 212,000 m3/day after completing operational testing. The facility will also generate 850MWh of electricity by the end of the year. Dr. Madani A. Alagi, chairman of SqWEC announced on Friday that the project has successfully met its forecast commercial operation date for the production of water. The plant is currently producing 212,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day. SqWEC will mainly supply the Jazan and Asir areas. Construction of the project commenced on May 31, 2007 at a cost of SR7.2 billion ($1.9 billion) and included 16 reverse osmosis units to desalinate water and three 280MW turbine and boiler units with flue gas desulfurization to generate power and an electrical substation connecting the plant to the Saudi Electric Company grid. Eng. Abdul Aziz Al-Mahdi, CEO of SqWEC, forecast full commercial production by the end of 2010.
