Operating an integrated desalination plant with the least electricity consumption

Dubbed the largest desalinated seawater producer across the entire world with a production capacity of up to five million cubic meters per day, par excellence, SWCC was awarded Distinction Certificate for desalination by Guinness World Records in 2019. Equally important, the Jubail Plant was ranked the largest desalinated seawater producer in the world, with a production capacity of up to 1.4 million cubic meters of water per day.

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense paid a high-profile visit to the Jeddah Plant and conducted an official meeting with His Excellency SWCC Governor along with senior officials and employees. His Royal Highness paid tribute to the unremitting and concerted efforts and expressed great appreciation for the resounding achievements notched up by SWCC staff and the commendable contributions made to across the desalination plants in the Kingdom, making a record increase in production capacity, beyond compare, from 3.5 million cubic meters to 5 million cubic meters per day over the past two years, while maintaining the overall costs at a minimum. In a similar vein, the Shuaiba Plant (phase fourth) was officially awarded by Reverse Osmosis (RO), the Shuaiba Mina Water Transmission System (B), the Taif Water Transmission System (Turbah, Rania, Al-Kharma) and the Arafat-Taif Water Transmission System. Equally important, the strategic Makkah-Taif reservoirs were also established, and the desalination unit at th Shuaiba Plant was also awarded. Of great note, the Al-Isnad Center was also launched, which is tasked with the water system of production, transportation, storage and distribution. His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also honored His Excellency SWCC Governor on the occasion of the SWCC Training Center winning the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award of Silver Category at the (16) session of 2017-2018.

The Abha strategic reservoirs were established.

The Ras Al-Khair Plant for water desalination and electricity (phase first) of Group (D) was established. In a similar vein, the Taif-Al-Baha water transmission system was also commissioned, and the two balance tanks were established in the Marba Center with a capacity of up to 30,000 cubic meters per tank.

The Ras Al-Khair-Riyadh water transmission system, Part (2), was commissioned. In addition, the Abqaiq-Al-Khobar natural gas pipeline was put into action. In a similar vein, the pipeline manufacture and supply project for the Yanbu-Madina water transmission system (phase 3) was set in motion. The Ras Al-Khair-Hafr Al-Batin water transmission system was also commissioned.

The Ras Al-Khair Plant (phase one) was commissioned. The Shuqaiq water transmission system (phase two) and the water transmission system from the Al-Leith Plant to neighboring villages within the immediate vicinity were also put into operation.

The Jeddah Plant (2) operated and powered by RO was set in motion.

The multi-effect desalination unit (MED) at the Yanbu Plants was operated.

The water transmission system was put into action for the cities of the Eastern Region (phase three).

The Al-Shuqaiq Plant (phase two) was operated. The King Abdullah Water Desalination Initiative powered by solar energy was publicly announced.

The Al-Shuaiba, Al-Wajh and Umluj Plants (phase three) were set in motion along with the Rabigh and Farasan Plants (phase two) and the Al-Leith Plant (phase one). Also, the water transmission systems of the Rabigh, Al-Laith and Farasan Plants were operated.

The go-ahead approval of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Supreme Economic Council, on the SWCC privatization executive program was issued. Equally important, the Al-Qunfudhah Plant (phase one) alongside the water transmission system was also put into action.

The water transmission system from Al-Khobar Plant to Al-Ahsa and Abqaiq was set in motion.

The desalinated water transportation system to Makkah, Jeddah and Taif (phase two) was put into operation. The Supreme Economic Council issued Decision (5/23) dated 2002 that sets the principles and standards for the private sector participation in water desalination projects.

The Al-Khobar Plant (phase three), the Jubail Plant powered by reverse osmosis and the Al-Shuaiba Plant (phase two) were put into operation.

The Yanbu Plants (phase two) powered by flash evaporation + reverse osmosis, and the Yanbu-Madinah water transmission system (phase two) were put in operation.

The Jeddah Plant powered by reverse osmosis (phase two) and the Rabigh Plant (first-phase expansion) were put into operation.

The Al-Wajh Plant (third-phase expansion) was put into operation.

The Al-Hagel Plant (phase two) and the Farasan Plant (first-phase expansion) were put into operation.

The Duba Plant (phase three), Al-Wajh Plant (second-phase expansion), the Jeddah RO Plant (first phase), the Shuaiba Plant (phase one) and Al-Shuqaiq Plant (phase one), and the water transmission system to Makkah and Taif (phase one) and the water transmission system to Asir.

The Al-Azizia Plant (phase one) was put into operation, and the Research and Development Center in Jubail was launched.

The Al-Wajh Plant (first-phase expansion) and the Khafji and the Umluj Plants (phase two) along with the water transmission system to Khafji were put into operation.

The Bark Plant (phase one), the Jubail and Al-Khobar Plants (phase two), the Khafji Plant (fast-track units), the water transmission system to Riyadh (A and B) and the Riyadh feeder lines and the water transmission system to the cities of the Eastern Region (phase two) were put into operation.

The Jubail Plant (phase one) and the Rabigh Plant (phase one) and the water transmission system to the Royal Commission, the Naval Base and Jubail were put into operation. The Jubail Training Center was also launched.

The Yanbu Plant (phase one), the Jeddah Plant (phase four) and the Umluj Plant (fast-track units) and the Yanbu-Medina water transmission system (phase one) were all put into operation.

The Al-Wajh and Duba Plants (phase two), the Farasan Plant (phase one), the Jeddah Plant (phase one) and the Hagel Plant (phase one) were put into operation.

The Jeddah Plant (phase two) and the Jeddah Plant powered by reverse osmosis and the Khafji Plant (fast-track units) were put into operation. SWCC took over the responsibility to entirely operate and maintain SWCC projects.

The Umluj Plant (phase one) was put into operation.

Royal Decree (M/49) was issued (1974) to establish SWCC as an independent public corporation. The Khafji Plant (phase one) was put into operation.

The Al-Khobar Plant (phase one) and the water transmission system to the cities of the Eastern Region (phase one) was set in motion.

The SWCC administration was transformed to be subsumed into deputyship at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Environment under the Ministry Deputyship for water desalination affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water & Environment.

The Jeddah Plant (phase one) was put into operation.

The Al-Wajh and the Duba Plants were put into operation (phase one).

The general administration of seawater desalination was established at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Environment in Jeddah, and Prince Mohammed Al-Faisal was tasked with the roles and responsibilities of the administration thereof.

His Majesty King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, rest in peace, ordered the import of two large machines for seawater distillation to secure the water needs of pilgrims and Umrah performers, in addition to providing the residents of Jeddah with fresh water.

Washed ashore, a coal-fired water vapor distillation machine was salvaged from a ship wrecked offshore. As it ran aground, the bulky machine was pulled up and installed on the shore of Jeddah. It was nicknamed Kandasa, derived from Latin (condenser).