Veolia – through its subsidiary Sharqiyah Desalination Company – in partnership with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) today announced the production of 100,000,000 cubic meter of drinking water through Sharqiyah Desalination Plant based in Sur. The announcement was made during an event celebrating the milestone, which also celebrated the extension of Veolia’s Build-Own-Operate (BOO) contract signed in 2007, to cover the expansion of the plant.
Oman’s Sharqiyah Desalination Company signed an agreement to expand the 80,000 cubic meter Sur Desalination plant 160 kms south west of Muscat. Under the amended Water Purchase Agreement (WPA) with state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), the Veolia-led company will add 51,000 cubic meter to what is already the largest Independent Water Project (IWP) in Oman.
“We are delighted to work on the expansion of the plant. The opportunity allows Veolia to demonstrate once again our loyalty and strong commitment to the project and to Resourcing the World,” commented Xavier Joseph, CEO of Veolia Gulf Countries.
“OPWP congratulates SDC on this enormous millstone achievement. SDC has played an important role on meeting some of the Sharqiyah’s region demand and with the upcoming expansion, its role will grow” commented Ahmed Al Jahdhami, CEO of OPWP.
The plant, which produces 80,000 cubic meters per day of desalinated drinking water, through a reverse osmosis process provides 350,000 inhabitants of the Sharqiyah region with clean drinking water. The process, which forces high pressured water through a semi-permeable membrane, separates salt, bacteria and other particles allowing clean water to filter through.
“We are proud of reaching this milestone, and remain dedicated to helping the Sultanate of Oman meet its stringent environmental goals, while ensuring the delivery of drinking water to the Sharqiyah region,” said Patrice Fonlladosa, Executive Vice-President of Veolia Middle East Africa.
The Sur Desalination Plant was built by a consortium composed of OTV, a Veolia subsidiary and Bahwan Engineering Company in 2007 and is currently operated by Bahwan Veolia, a JV between Bahwan and Veolia.
The expansion project will be developed on a BOO basis and will be located adjacent to the existing reverse osmosis project at Sur to benefit from synergies. Veolia owns a 35.75% stake in the project with Oman’s National Power and Water Company (NPW) holding 29.25% and the remaining equity free floating in the Muscat Securities Exchange.
Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 187,000 employees* worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them. In 2013, the Veolia group supplied 94 million people with drinking water and 62 million people with wastewater service, produced 54 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 38 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €23.4 billion* in 2013. www.veolia.com (*) 2013 pro-forma unaudited figures, including Dalkia International (100%) and excluding Dalkia France. Excluding Transdev employees and revenue currently under divestment.
