Saudi Arabia issues RFQs for Ras Mohaisen-Makkah water project

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Saudi Arabia's Water Transmission Company (WTCO) has annoucned that it has issued requests for qualification for the Ras Mohaisen-Baha-Makkah Independent Water Transmission System.

Part of the Western Supply Group, the IWTS, which runs 300 km long, will have a contracted transmission capacity of 515,000 cu m per day.

WTCO had last month announced the list of bidders vying for the project.

The Ras-Mohaisen-Baha-Makkah water project has attracted several top global utility developers including Spanish groups Acciona Agua, Elecnor and Cox Water; Indian infrastructure majors Kalpataru Projects and Megha Engineering and Infrastructures as well as US-based Lonestar and Japanese group Sojitz Corporation to bid for the project in addition to several regional industry players.

WTCO said regional heavyweights including Kuwaiti group Alghanim International as well UAE groups Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa); Contrax International DMCC and Emirates Utilities Development Company too are in the race for the key project along with Egyptian contractor Orascom Construction.

For the project, WTCO said several top Saudi developers such as Al Bawani Capital; Nesma; Al Bawardi Group; Al Jomaih Energy & Water; Al Kobraish lnvestment and Construction; Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies; Al Yamamah Water Projects; Al Ayuni Investment & Contracting; Alrawaf Contracting; Buhur For Investment Company; Precision Scientific Equipment; Rawafid Industrial Company and Thrustboring Construction Company were in the fray.

As per the tender notification from WTCO, the winning developer/developer consortium will be implementing the project on a design, build, finance, lease and transfer (DBFLT) model.

The project company will then lease the entire transmission capacity to WTCO under a Water Transmission Development and Lease Agreement (WTDLA) for a 35-year period.

For the Saudi project, Synergy Consulting IFA is the lead and financial adviser; Clifford Chance as legal advisor and ILF as the technical advisor.