Acwa Power inks deal to build seawater reverse osmosis plant in Senegal

Acwa Power has inked a deal with the National Water Company of Senegal (Sones) and the National Electricity Company of Senegal (Senelec), to develop a seawater reverse osmosis plant (SWRO in Senegal.

The MoU(s) was signed in the presence of Macky Sall, President of Republic of Senegal, Engineer Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Falih, the Saudi Minister of Investment, and Fahd bin Ali Al Dosary, the Saudi Ambassador to Senegal.

The SWRO project will be sited in Grande Côte, located approximately 40 km north-east of capital Dakar. In close collaboration with Sones, Acwa Power will oversee the development of the SWRO plant, which, once completed, will be the largest desalination project of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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PPA deal

This is also the first desalination project in the country being implemented on a public-private partnership basis. The second MoU announced will see Acwa Power working closely with Senelec to develop a combined cycle gas-turbine (CCGT) plant in Cap des Biches with an initial design capacity of 160MW.

“In line with Senegal’s gas-to-power strategy, which aims to increase the country’s energy independence, reduce the cost of electricity, and provide universal access to electricity, the development of the new facility will furthermore assist the country’s efforts to reduce its GHG emissions by at least 23% by 2030, said Charles Fall, the Managing Director of Sones.

“The signing of these agreements is in anticipation of rapid demographic growth and consumer demand in the Dakar-Mbour-Thies triangle, which represents over 5 million consumers. Furthermore, this first PPP experience will have no impact on water prices,” he stated.

Acwa Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said: “We are deeply honoured to contribute towards the strengthening ties of Saudi Arabia, our home country, and Senegal via the signing of two landmark MoUs today and we extend our sincerest gratitude to the Senegalese leadership for their trust and confidence in Acwa Power’s abilities to realise these strategic projects for the country.”