Friday, May 23, 2008

IDE to build 3 desalination plants in Asia

Israel Desalination Enterprises (IDE) Technologies won a tender to build three desalination plants in Asia worth of a total of about $80 million, IDE said on Tuesday.

IDE, jointly owned by Israel Chemicals and the Delek Group, did not say where in Asia the plants will be built, but the statement said the projects should be completed by the end of 2009.

Each plant will be able to desalinise up to 24,000 cubic metres of water a day, IDE said.

Avshalom Felber, president and chief executive of IDE, said the project was meant to "widen the company internationally and strengthen IDE's status as a world leader in desalination."

In the past year, IDE has won tenders to build desalination plants in China and Australia.

In related news, the H2ID group, of which IDE is a member, said this week it has completed an agreement to receive 1.5 billion shekels ($450 million) in financing for a desalination plant in Israel from a consortium of foreign banks.

The desalination plant, to be built in the coastal town of Hadera, will provide 100 million cubic metres of drinking water a year at a cost of 2.56 shekels per cubic metre.

Israel already has another two desalination plants which produce a combined 130 million cubic metres.

National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said he will submit a plan to the government on Sunday to increase the annual amount of water desalinated to 750 million cubic metres.

Source: Reuters; Reuters

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