Lantania is recognised at the Global Water Intelligence awards for their Jubail 3A desalination plant

• The facility, built by the company in Saudi Arabia, has won the ‘Desalination Plant of the Year’ award

Madrid, 18 April 2024. The Jubail 3A desalination plant, built by Lantania in Saudi Arabia, has won the ‘Desalination Plant of the Year’ award from Global Water Intelligence (GWI). The judges highlighted the facility’s efficient and sustainable design, which has achieved a world record for energy efficiency, with a consumption of less than 2.8kWh m3 per day using seawater from the Persian Gulf. In addition, they emphasised that its development took only 27 months during the COVID19 pandemic.

GWI also showcased the facility’s state-of-the-art approach and environmental vision. The project included the construction of a 45.5 MWp solar photovoltaic plant that supplies 20% of the required electrical power and significantly reduces the plant’s carbon footprint, saving 60,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.

The GWI awards recognise the greatest achievements in the water industry during the previous year, rewarding those initiatives and companies that contribute towards the development of the industry through improved operational performance, the adoption of innovative technologies and sustainable financial models. Lantania’s General Director of Water, Pedro Almagro, accompanied SWPC and ACWA Power in presenting the award at the Global Water Summit Awards gala held in London last Tuesday.

Jubail 3A, formally opened in June 2023, generates 600,00 m3 of drinking water per day to supply a population equivalent to 1,600,000 inhabitants, guaranteeing the supply to the Oriental, Riad and Oassim provinces. This desalination plant forms part of the programme developed by Saudi Arabia to promote private involvement in the water industry. ACWA Power (40.2%), GIC (40%) and AWP (19.8%) make up the partnership that has developed this project, together reaching a total investment of 650 million US dollars. The EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) consortium formed by Power China, Sepco III, Lantania and Abengoa was involved in its completion, whilst the state-owned Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has been its offtaker.