ACCIONA Agua commissions its first desalination plant in Algeria

The Fouka desalination plant, which is already functioning at full capacity, treats 120,000 m3 of water per day and supplies 500,000 people.

ACCIONA Agua will operate the plant for 25 years, representing a backlog of 790 million dollars. 

ACCIONA Agua's first desalination plant in Algeria, located in Fouka, reached full operational capacity in July, treating 120,000 m3 of water daily. The plant guarantees water supplies to 500,000 people in Zéralda and the western part of Algiers. The desalination plant, located in Wilaya de Tipaza, Fouka province, just a few kilometres west of Algiers, uses reverse osmosis technology.

The consortium comprising ACCIONA Agua and Canadian company, Lavalin, will operate the plant for a 25-year period, in partnership with state-owned Algerian Energy Company (AEC).

Capital expenditure totalled 185 million dollars (around 130 million euros), with an execution cost of 158 million dollars (110 million euros); the backlog over 25 years is 790 million dollars (550 million euros). With regard to project financing, 80% came from Crédit Populaire d'Algérie (CPA) and 20% from the public-private partnership comprising ACCIONA, Lavalin and AEC.

The Fouka plant is part of a desalination plant construction programme that the Algerian government has been undertaking since 2007.

ACCIONA Agua is a world leader in reverse osmosis desalination and a global provider of end-to-end water management services, with plants in Spain, Australia, England, Portugal, and Italy, among others.

ACCIONA, a leader in infrastructure, services and renewable energy

ACCIONA is one of Spain's leading corporations, with operations in infrastructure, renewable energy, water, urban & environmental services, logistics & transport services, housing development, hospital management etc., in over thirty countries in five continents.

ACCIONA obtained EBITDA of 631 million euros, net attributable profit of 248 million euros and revenues of 3.084 billion euros in the first half of 2011.