On 9 May, at the Global Water Summit Awards Gala, IDAM Shukak 3 was awarded in the Desalination Plant of the Year category. The highly energy efficient plant is a key project in the modernization of the water sector being carried out by Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) of Saudi Arabia.
The GWI Awards recognize the great achievements of the water sector during the past year, rewarding initiatives and companies that contribute to the growth of the industry through improving operational performance, adopting innovative technologies and sustainable financial models. In addition, this year it has focused on recognizing initiatives that are making progress on desalination.
For this reason Shukak 3 has been awarded in the Desalination Plant of the Year category. The plant completed its construction in record time in January 2023 keeping in mind the pandemic caused by COVID-19. It is home to one of the largest seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in Saudi Arabia, capable of supplying a population of 2 million people in the Asir and Jizan regions. The plant, which is already producing water at full capacity, producing around 450,000 cubic meters of potable water per day, has become a milestone in sustainable and innovative desalination.
Shukaik 3 was also awarded for Utility Project of the Year at the Middle East Energy Awards held in Dubai (UAE) in September 2019, establishing itself as one of the leading projects in the region.
The consortium, made up of ACCIONA, Alamar Water Solutions through Abdul Latif Jameel Enterprises, Maroubeini Corporation, and Rawafid Alhadrah Holding Company, was awarded the contract in 2019 by the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) as a key element. Project 7-year description that aims to modernize the water sector in Saudi Arabia.
With a population of 33.4 million, Saudi Arabia is the third largest consumer of water per capita in the world after the United States and Canada. This is an area of severe water scarcity and demand for desalinated water is increasing in response to climate change and population growth.
