ACWA Power advances seawater desalination project in Azerbaijan, official says

At the 30th anniversary Baku Energy Forum, Polina Liubomirova, Business Development Director of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, emphasized the company’s strategic commitment to Azerbaijan, highlighting its integrated approach to addressing the country’s energy and water needs.

Liubomirova revealed that ACWA Power is in the final stages of preparing documentation for a major seawater desalination plant project designed to produce potable water in Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, via local media.

“It is extremely important for ACWA Power to be present in Azerbaijan as an integrated partner. We are not only looking at energy projects, but also endeavour to consider all the country’s needs, including water supply,” she stated.

The project, situated within the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park, entails the construction of a seawater desalination facility with a production capacity of 300,000 cubic metres per day. ACWA Power will lead the initiative in consortium with Turkish construction firm IC İçtaş İnşaat.

Designated as the preferred bidder in January this year, ACWA Power is now finalizing agreements with the Azerbaijani government to transition the project into its implementation and construction phases. The construction timeline is projected at 2.5 years, after which the facility will operate under consortium management for 27.5 years. Following this concession period, operational control will revert to Azerbaijan’s State Water Resources Agency.

By Vafa Guliyeva