DOHA, Qatar, June 1, 2011 -- A combined desalination and power facility which has the capacity to produce 286,000 m3/day of water and 2,730 MW of power has been opened in Qatar.
The $3.7 billion power and water plant was built under the ownership of Ras Girtas Power Company, which is owned by the Qatar Electricity and Water Company (45%), Qatar Petroleum (15%), GDF Suez through International Power (20%), Mitsui & Co. (10%) plus Chubu Electric Power Company and Shikoku Electric Power Company. The preferred bidders were awarded the project in March 2008.
Electricity and water will be sold through a 25-year power and water agreement with the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa).
Ras Laffan C is the GDF Suez led group's second independent power and water project in Qatar. In 2004, International Power was awarded 40% ownership in Ras Laffan B, which started production in 2008. The combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) produces 1,025 MW of power and 272,760 m3/day of water.
Gerard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ, said: “Ras Laffan C will be instrumental in meeting the energy and water needs of Qatar, which are boosted by the vast number of new industrial projects coming on stream in the next few years."
Estimates suggest that water demand in Qatar will almost double from 1.1 million m3/day in 2011 to around 2.1 million m3/day by 2020.
- Pennwell's WaterWorld Middle East conference and exhibition, takes place in February 2012 in Doha, Qatar and will be addressing the country's water challenges.
