The largest of its kind in the world: a giant project gets underway in Israel
The Ministry of Finance has published an international tender for the construction of an unprecedented desalination plant in Emek Hefer that will provide about 40% of annual water consumption and will affect relations with the neighboring country.
A massive infrastructure project is getting underway and is set to change the map of Israel's water economy. The special tender committee for seawater desalination at the Accountant General's Department in the Ministry of Finance, headed by Gal Landau, published on Wednesday the Pre-Qualification documents for a huge international tender. The tender includes the design, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance of a seawater desalination plant to be built in the Emek Hefer industrial zone.
The facility, which will cover an area of about 200 dunams, is planned for an unprecedented production capacity of 400 million cubic meters of desalinated water per year. Upon its completion, it is expected to become the largest desalination plant of its kind in the world, and will alone provide a volume equal to about 40% of the annual fresh water consumption of households and industry in Israel.
Beyond the infrastructure news, the project has broad economic and political implications that will affect the entire region. The construction of the facility will support the promotion of the "Prosperity Blue" project ("Water for Energy"), which may significantly expand economic cooperation between Israel and Jordan, thereby contributing to regional stability and opening new business opportunities.
In addition, the tender - which will operate under a public-private partnership (PPP method) for a period of 25 years - holds enormous business potential for infrastructure and energy companies. The tender documents set strict requirements for technological innovation and energy efficiency, and even include the option of building a conventional natural gas-powered power plant with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts, which will be used for the self-generation of the electricity required to operate the giant facility.
The publication of the pre-qualification stage is the starting gun for a race of infrastructure and financial groups from Israel and around the world. At this stage, the professional and engineering capabilities and financial robustness of the competing groups will be carefully examined, as well as their experience in the construction and operation of desalination plants and complex engineering projects. The groups that pass the current stage will be invited to submit their full proposals for the project.
The Accountant General, CPA Michal Abadi-Boiangiu, stated in response:
"The tender for the construction of the desalination plant in Emek Hefer is another significant step in a series of desalination plants promoted by the Accountant General's Department using the PPP method in recent years, which have brought about a real revolution in the water sector. In an era of climate change and in a reality of decreasing precipitation and growing demand, the construction of the facility is a central pillar in the policy to ensure continuous and reliable water supply for all the country's residents. I thank the members and consultants of the tender committee for their hard work."
The Director of the Water Authority, Yehezkel Lifshitz, added:
"This is tremendous news for the water sector and the citizens of Israel. The construction of the facility, one of the largest and most advanced in the world, will allow us to provide a forward-looking response to the needs of the population, agriculture, and industry, while maintaining first-rate environmental and technological standards. This project will strengthen water supply capabilities for decades to come."
