ACWA Power, a leading Saudi operator of worldwide water desalination and green hydrogen plants, has announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding agreements with both National Water Company of Senegal (SONES) and the National Electricity Company of Senegal (SENELEC)
In collaboration with SONES, ACWA Power will oversee the development of a 300,000 cu/m per day seawater reverse osmosis plant (SWRO) in Grande Côte. The development will serve as the first desalination project in the country that is being facilitated on the Public-Private Partnership basis, as well as the largest project of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
The second MoU will see ACWA Power working closely with SENELEC to develop a Combined Cycle Gas-Turbine (CCGT) plant in Cap des Biches with an initial design capacity of 160MW. In line with Senegal’s Gas-to-Power strategy, which aims to increase the country’s energy independence, reduce the cost of electricity, and provide universal access to electricity, the development of the new facility will assist the country’s efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 23% by 2030.
“The agreement we have just signed is above all else an essential step taken in response to the demand for drinking water within the framework of the Plan Sénégal Émergent (PSE). This partnership framework is a testimony of the strong cooperation ties between Saudi Arabia and Senegal and represents an opportunity for the local private sector through the creation of a Senegalese company operating under Senegalese law,” said managing director of SONES, Charles Fall.
Mohammad Abunayyan, chairman of ACWA Power, commented, “We are deeply honoured to contribute towards the strengthening ties of Saudi Arabia, our home country, and Senegal via the signing of two landmarks MoUs today. In line with our mandate to provide reliable delivery of power and desalinated water, ACWA Power is leveraging its global expertise to support the nation’s sustainable and socio-economic development for years to come.”
