Sorek 2 desalination project moves ahead with seven bidders

A total of seven local and international companies have been shortlisted to develop Israel’s next giant desalination plant…

The original Sorek desalination plant in Israel not only set a precedent when opening at the time with a record capacity but also the use of vertical, 16 inch seawater reverse osmosis membranes.

Now Israel is going one step further in the development of an even bigger desalination project in the region.

Called Sorek 2, the anticipated 548,000 m3/day project is expected to be completed by 2023.

A total of seven local and international groups have submitted initial bids, with the shortlist including: China's Hutchison and PMEC, Israel’s IDE Technologies and GES, France’s SUEZ, Spain’s Acciona in partnership with Israel’s Allied, and Spain’s Aqualia in partnership with Israel’s WPI.

If IDE wins the Sorek 2 tender, it would be required to sell its holdings in the existing desalination facility in Sorek, to conform with anti-trust rules in the country.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Rony Hizkiyahu accountant-general of the Finance Ministry as saying: "The new facility, expected to be the largest of its kind worldwide, will increase the production of desalinated water in Israel by approximately 25% and will thereby assist the water industry in coping with the continuing deterioration of the country’s natural water resources.

Water provision is part of a wider, long-term national infrastructure strategy until 2030.

Sorek 2 will be the sixth desalination plant to operate in Israel alongside Hadera, Ashkelon, the first Sorek, Palmachim and Ashdod.

Once complete, collectively the projects will supply 85 percent of Israe’s municipal water needs through desalination.

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