Egypt is set to open bidding for the first phase of its large-scale water desalination project under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a report by Zawya. This ambitious initiative, led by The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance’s PPP Central Unit, aims to develop desalination plants powered by renewable energy across the country, targeting a production capacity of 8.85 million cubic meters per day (m³/day) by 2050.
Phase I will involve the construction of 15 desalination plants, delivering a combined capacity of 3.35 million m³/day by 2025, according to Atter Hannoura, Director of the PPP Central Unit at Egypt’s Ministry of Finance. Speaking at a PPP forum in Dubai, Hannoura noted that the first phase will begin with the development of four plants.
This initial phase is expected to draw approximately $3 billion in investment, with each plant operating under a 30-year concession agreement. The first two plants to be tendered will be located in Dabaa, with a capacity of 40,000 m³/day, and in El Hamam, with a capacity of 190,000 m³/day.