Two companies have been chosen for the final stage of the tender to build the world’s biggest desalination plant, named Sorek B. The companies, IDE and Hutchison both offered the joint-best price of 1.6 NIS per cubic meter of water, 0.5 NIS cheaper than the price at present. This reduction could save 2.5 billion NIS in national water expenses.
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A tender committee consisting of representatives of the Treasury, the Energy Ministry and the Water Authority announced that both companies would be allowed to offer a BAFO (Best and Final Offer) which could further lower the price of the water, increase the project’s feasibility and cut the time to it’s completion.
The government decided last year to establish the plant due to the difficult hydrological situation caused by five successive arid years. The new facility, which will be the largest of its type in the world, will be capable of producing 200 million cubic meters(cm) per year. The total amount of desalinated water per year would then be 785 million cubic meters which represents 85% of the annual urban and individual consumption.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced that it would provide 150 million euro towards the project.
The head of Israel’s Water Authority, Giora Shacham, said that “the addition of 200 million cm from Sorek B together with the addition of 100 million cm from the planned plant in the Western Galilee within a few years enables the water establishment to prepare for all additional demand in the coming years as well as for climactic changes which reduce the amount of natural water available. Once again it has been proved that professional competition as demonstrated in this tender will lower prices and prevent significant rises in water prices.”