Saudi Arabia’s Water & Electricity Company (WEC) said 10 global industry giants have been prequalified to bid for the development of an independent sewage treatment plant (ISTP) near the city of Taif.

Once the project gets completed, the Taif plant will boast a total treatment capacity of up to 270,000 cu m per day, said senior WEC officials.

It is being developed as part of Saudi Vision 2030. Those who have prequalified to bid for the project include Spain’s Acciona Agua, France’s Suez, Korea’s Samsung Engineering, China’s Gezhouba Group, Japan’s Marubeni Corporation and Egypt’s Orascom. Consortiums in the race include Spain’s Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios with Saudi-based International Water Distribution Company (Tawzea); FCC Aqualia and Alkhorayef Group and Metito Utilities; Mitsui & Co and Miahona Company; and Power and Water Utility Company for Jubail and Yanbu (Marafiq) and Mowah, they added.

According to WEC officials, a total of 66 developer consortiums had submitted their expressions of interest (EoIs) early this year more than half of which were local developers.

A strategic project for the Saudi region, the Taif ISTP has several leading global industry experts in the advisory role. Mizuho Bank is the lead and financial advisor, while White & Case LLP the legal advisor and

WS Atkins & Partners Overseas Engineering Consultants the technical advisors.

WEC said it will conduct a competitive process to select a developer or developer consortium for the development, financing, engineering, procurement, construction, implementation, ownership, operation, maintenance and transfer of the project, together with associated infrastructure and facilities.

Under a 25-year sewage treatment agreement with WEC, the project company to be incorporated to develop the project will treat the entire sewage capacity supplied by the utility firm.