- Plant launched by consortium that includes Gulf Investment Corporation and Al Bawani Water & Power Company
- Facility will reduce carbon emissions by 60,000 tons per year, supporting Vision 2030 aims
- ACWA Power, in which PIF holds a stake, supports Saudi suppliers, manufacturers and a highly skilled workforce
ACWA Power and its partners Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and Al Bawani Water & Power Company (AWP) have inaugurated the Jubail 3A independent water desalination plant (Jazlah Water Desalination Company), the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia thanks to its integration with photovoltaic (PV) solar power.
To meet rising water demands, the project is the first Independent Water Project (IWP) in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia with a production capacity of 600,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day. Located in Jubail, the Jazlah Water Desalination Company project has achieved a world efficiency record of 2.8 kWh/cubic meters of water using seawater from the Arabian Gulf.
The plant encompasses a 45.5 MW solar PV power generation facility, which will account for 20% of the plant’s energy consumption and will deliver clean water to more than 3 million people at a record-breaking tariff of 0.41 USD/m3. It will reduce carbon emissions by 60,000 tons per year, supporting the environmental aims of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s blueprint for economic reform.
The plant was inaugurated under the patronage and in the presence of His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Water Partnership Company.
His Excellency Eng. Al-Fadhli said that these projects come to achieve the objectives and plans of the National Water Strategy to increase private sector participation in water production projects, supplying drinking water to all regions of Saudi Arabia.
ACWA Power, in which PIF holds a stake, is supporting the growth of Saudi Arabia-based suppliers and manufacturers. This is demonstrated by the project achieving 40% local content – goods and services sourced from within Saudi Arabia – with a total expenditure of SAR 1.5 billion. This supports PIF’s target to increase the Fund and its affiliates’ contribution to local content to 60% by the end of 2025.
The Jazlah Water Desalination Company project employs 100% Saudi nationals, and supports the growth of a highly skilled workforce through a university program.
