Swakop Uranium, a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Group, has signed a joint venture agreement with Namibia’s state water utility, NamWater, to develop the country’s second desalination plant near Swakopmund.
The new facility—critical for one of Africa’s driest regions—will support the water needs of the Husab uranium mine while also supplying nearby communities in the Erongo region along the Atlantic coast.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, both partners confirmed that negotiations have successfully concluded and the project is now moving into the implementation phase. Swakop Uranium will hold a 70% stake, while NamWater will retain 30%.
Next steps include establishing the Erongo Sunam Desalination Project Joint Venture Company, followed by detailed engineering, environmental studies, financing arrangements, and construction planning.
The planned plant will have a capacity of 20 million cubic meters and has been under consideration since 1998. It will provide a stable and cost-effective water supply for the Husab mine—the world’s largest open-pit uranium mine and the biggest water consumer in the Erongo region—as well as for surrounding communities and neighboring mining operations.
While NamWater did not disclose project costs, local media estimate the investment at N$3 billion (approximately USD 176 million).