The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the consortium led by Meridiam-SUEZ have signed a 30-year concession contract for the desalination and conveyance of drinking water to 3 million people in the cities of Amman, the capital of Jordan, and Aqaba.
The 851,000 m3/day desalination plant will be the second largest in the world. It will produce up to 40% of the country’s drinking water consumption. This project, which represents an investment of around €4 billion, will contribute to the country’s water security and the quality of life of the Jordanian people.
Jordan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, with less than 100 m3 of fresh water available per inhabitant per year. Climate change and rapid demographic growth are exacerbating the pressure on water resources.
The Jordanian Government has initiated a large-scale project to desalinate water from the Red Sea, in the Gulf of Aqaba, and convey it to Aqaba and Amman, the capital city. The project will provide a continuous supply of water to more than three million people.
For this project, Meridiam, a mission-driven company (B Corp) specialising in the development, financing and long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure, and SUEZ (1), a world leader in circular water solutions, formed a special purpose company (SPC). It will be responsible for the financing, construction and operation of the water desalination and conveyance infrastructure under the terms of a 30-year concession contract.
The Gulf of Aqaba reverse osmosis plant will be the second largest in the world, built in one phase, with a design capacity of 851,000 m3 of drinking water per day.
For the construction of the desalination plant and of the 445 km of pipelines to convey the drinking water to Aqaba and Amman, Meridiam and SUEZ will combine their expertise with a group of international and regional partners.
The project is supported by the US International Development Finance Corporation and the US Agency for International Development in Amman, along with the European Union and several international financial bodies. As such, it is subject to a strict set of environmental and social requirements. A 724 GWh/year solar power plant will notably be developed as part of this contract.
Pierre Pauliac, Group Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer Water of SUEZ, commented: “SUEZ teams are very proud to be awarded this major contract, with Meridiam as well as regional and international partners, to finance, build and operate the second largest desalination plant in the world. This contract draws on SUEZ’s 50 years of experience in seawater desalination, with more than 260 plants built around the world [2]. It is part of a long-standing relationship with the Jordanian authorities in the field of water management.”
In line with standard practice, the construction will commence upon the satisfaction of a number of conditions, one of which is the completion of financial closing.
