ACWA Power Celebrates Excellence of Rabigh 3 IWP in Saudi Arabia, World’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant

ACWA Power Celebrates Excellence of Rabigh 3 IWP in Saudi Arabia, World’s largest reverse osmosis desalination plant
  • Rabigh 3 IWP is the first desalination plant of its size in the private sector with 100% Saudi workforce
  • The project has been recognised as the “world’s largest reverse osmosis desalination facility” by the Guinness World Records™
  • The SAR 2.6 billion project which utilises advanced RO technology will supply 600,000 m3/day to more than 1 million households in Makkah Al Mukarramah and Jeddah

Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, March 31, 2022:  Under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, ACWA Power, a leading developer, investor and operator of power generation, desalinated water and green hydrogen plants, celebrated Rabigh 3 IWP, the world’s largest desalination plant.

Located in Saudi Arabia, the project was feted in a ceremony which included senior officials from the Ministry, government officials from the Rabigh governorate and executives from the Saudi Brothers Commercial Company and Saudi Water Partnerships Company.

Developed with Saudi Brothers Commercial Company (SBCC), Rabigh 3 IWP project is the first desalination plant of its size in the private sector. The project has deployed a 100% Saudi workforce and will continue to create new employment opportunities for local talent. Furthermore, the project will continue to contribute towards enhancing local content capabilities by utilising local manufacturing to meet relevant needs.

She continued, “The IDA commends ACWA Power, SBCC-SAWACO, and SWPC, three longstanding corporate members the IDA, as well as IDA Corporate Members involved in building this iconic asset; Abengoa, Sidem, SEPCo3, Toray, ROPV, Flowserve, and ERI.”

ACWA Power is a global pioneer in applying reverse osmosis technology towards utility-scale desalination projects. The company commenced its journey with the Shuaibah Expansion IWP launched in the fourth quarter of 2009, supplying 150,000 cubic metres of water per day. This facility was the first project of its kind at the time to deploy reverse osmosis technology with a production capacity at this scale. Since then, ACWA Power has continued to harness reverse osmosis technology and developed its capabilities to maximise production capacities, resulting in the development of the 600,000 cubic metres per day Rabigh 3 IWP.