At the ground-breaking ceremony for the project are, from left, Mr. Anthony, Nass director Ghazi Nass, Zamil chief executive officer Abdulla Al Zamil and Mr. Issa.

MANAMA: A contract has been awarded by Energy Central Company (ECC) to Nass Contracting to build infrastructure and ancillary works for a sea water desalination plant at Durrat Al Bahrain. The plant will meet the irrigation demand at Durrat Al Bahrain, a mixed-use residential and resort development in the south of Bahrain with a total investment value of $6 billion.

"Having been awarded a 25-year concession to design, build, and operate the seawater desalination plant at Durrat Al Bahrain, ECC is clearly following a path of consistent development and implementation of the project," said ECC chief executive officer Khalil Issa.

"The signing of the contract with Nass Contracting is a definitive symbol of our stable footing in the midst of the current global scenario. We are witnessing growth and participating in the growth first hand."

Equipment for the first phase of 12,000 cubic metres daily of desalinated water is already under manufacture and this contract includes buildings to house the plant together with storage tanks, pipelines, offices and site works.

The facilities have been designed for phased expansion of the desalination plant in line with the landscaping requirements of Durrat Al Bahrain.

Construction of the building, infrastructure and ancillary works by Nass will commence immediately with strategic areas scheduled for early completion by September in order to permit installation of the desalination and electrical equipment.

"It gives us great pleasure to be signing this contract with ECC to provide the construction portion of this immense and exciting project at Durrat Al Bahrain," said Nass Contracting general manager David Anthony.

"This is saying a lot for the strength of the project, Energy Central's role in the development, as well as our own."

The desalination project will operate using reverse osmosis technology and the total capacity when all phases are completed will be in excess of 32,000 cubic metres daily.

Source: Gulf Daily News