Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd. has awarded GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions a contract to develop a turnkey substation that will power the Yanbu-4 independent water producer facility.

This is the Kingdom’s first integrated, clean-energy seawater reverse osmosis project. Yanbu-4, which is set to open in 2023, will have a capacity of 450,000 cubic meters per day of freshwater to supply Makkah and Madinah households.

Yanbu-4, located 140 kilometers west of Madinah, near the town of Ar Rayyis on the Kingdom’s Red Sea coast, will use reverse osmosis technology to provide drinkable water.

The plant will include solar energy units generating 20 MW of power to reduce grid electricity consumption throughout the desalination process, as well as water storage tanks designed to maintain a capacity of two operational days.

“We are honored to be playing a crucial role in such an innovative project and to be cooperating with GE’s Grid Solutions, who have a solid track record of executing infrastructure projects in the Kingdom,” said Seoungsan Seo, project director of Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd.

The Saudi Water Partnership Co. developed the facility as part of a collaboration that included ENGIE, Nesma, and Mowah. The plant will be run and maintained by ENGIE for a 25-year concession period.

Yanbu-4 will be built entirely by a consortium of GE Grid Solutions and Al-Sharif Group, and will include a 380-110 kV gas-insulated switchgear substation. Yanbu-4 will get the power necessary by each load center at the plant from the substation.

“The Yanbu-4 project is an important milestone in the expansion of the Kingdom’s water infrastructure,” said Bernard Dagher, president and CEO of GE’s Grid Solutions for the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey. It satisfies the Saudi leadership’s objective of environmental sustainability while addressing the growing need for freshwater supplies in the cities of Makkah and Madinah as a renewable energy-driven project. This win demonstrates our capacity to be a reliable partner in the Kingdom’s infrastructure development, including the supply of turnkey desalination plant substations.”