Hitachi signs Indian desalination water purchase accord

Japan’s Hitachi announced on 13 January 2013 that its consortium with Hyflux of Singapore had concluded a water purchase agreement with Dahej SEZ Ltd (DSL), the management company of the Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Gujarat, India, for water from its proposed desalination plant in the SEZ.

The consortium now intends to obtain environmental assessment approval and meet other requirements to successfully implement the project.

The project involves construction of a 336,000 m³/d seawater desalination plant in an industrial park within Dahej SEZ in Gujarat and stable supply of industrial water over a period of 30 years (including the construction period).

It is one of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Projects being promoted jointly by the Japanese and Indian governments, involving the construction of industrial parks between Delhi and Mumbai (approximately 1,500 km) utilizing private sector capital.

The consortium will conduct discussions toward the final agreement with DSL planned for around fall 2013, after obtaining environmental assessment approval and achieving the financial close.