SAUDI Arabia has commissioned the first phase of the world’s largest desalination project, being built at a cost of SR27 billion ($7.2 billion) in its Eastern Province, a report said.

The plant for the production and pumping of desalinated water and generation of electricity is located in the Ras Al Khair Industrial City, 75 km north-west of Jubail, said the Saudi Gazette report.

Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al Hussayen Al Hussayen, who is also chairman of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), said that the project has a production capacity of 1.025 million cu m of desalinated water per day and electricity production capacity of 2,600 MW.

The plant will supply 1,350 MW of electricity to Maaden, and 1,050 MW to Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), in addition to 200 MW to be used within the plant, Al Hussayen said.

A total of 800,000 cu m of water will be supplied to Riyadh city while the remaining will cater to other regions.