Independent Water and
Power Plant (IWPP)
Power
Sector in Saudi Arabia
In any economic growth, the power sector
always plays a vital role and so is the case in
Saudi Arabia. In the Kingdom, the power sector
demands are increasing multifold due to massive
industrialization plans and growth in the
country, and the growing population. Saudi
Arabia also enjoys one of the world’s highest
per capita electricity consumption rates. All
these lead the power industry to experience
phenomenal growth, huge expansion plans and
witness the launch of many projects. To increase
the power sector capacity, the Government
electrification plans call for huge capital
investments. It is expected that the private
sector will play an increasingly important role
in meeting the rising power demands in the
country.
Water Sector in Saudi
Arabia
More than one
fourth of the world’s desalinated water is
produced in Saudi Arabia. This is a remarkable
achievement in the Global desalination scenario
for a Desert country. Considering it has a large
agricultural base, enviable industrial base and
an increasing population coupled with it being
one of the world’s highest water users in terms
of average water use per citizen. Desalination
has been the key solution in Saudi Arabia for
its fresh water needs. The existing desalination
dual purpose plants have also contributed
significantly in the growth of the Kingdom’s
power sector.
Emerging IWPPs in Power and
Water Sectors
The growing synergy between power generation
and desalination in Saudi Arabia and the opening
of the sector to private investment has paved
the way to launch a number of Independent Water
and Power Plants (IWPPs) ensuring the continued
growth of the power and water sectors and the
national economy as a whole.
With the Government’s support and
encouragement, local and international companies
are coming together and pooling their resources,
investment and technical expertise to contribute
towards the achievement of this objective.
Marafiq IWPP Jubail
project
As
Marafiq has been formed to assist in the
expansion of the private sector’s participation
in the development of the national economy in
the Kingdom, Marafiq has launched its
developmental initiatives for IWPP Jubail
project. The project will contribute to the
growth of Jubail industrial city and to
contribute to the diversification of the
national economy.
The project will be developed with synergy of
International developers and local partnerships
on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT)
basis of a power generation and water
desalination facility in Jubail Industrial City,
which will service the needs of both the Jubail
Industrial City and the Eastern Province of
Saudi Arabia as a whole.
The project is implemented by a joint venture of
Marafiq,SEC and PIF of Saudi Arabia and the Suez
consortium (comprising Suez Energy
International, Belgium, Gulf Investment
Corporation, Kuwait and ACWA Power Projects
Saudi Arabia), the successful bidder developer
selected by Marafiq in December 2006.
The power plant will be comprised of 4 blocks
and will be based on Combined Cycle generation
Gas Turbines where extraction steam from the
turbines supplies process steam to the
desalination plant which itself will comprise 27
units that will use Multiple Effect Distillation
technology (MED). This project is of national
importance and is set for achieving its
completion in 2010. This will add 2,745 MW of
power and 800,000 cubic meters per day of
desalinated water to Jubail Industrial City and
the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
