Soreq desalination tenders said to have low water price

The three consortia bidding for the Soreq desalination project in Israel have submitted bids of less than NIS 2.50 (US$ 0.66) per m³ of fresh water, according to a report from the Globes financial news source.

The price for desalinated water in the recent Hadera desalination tender was set at NIS 2.60 (US$ 0.69) per m³.

The three consortia in the US$ 530 million tender for the Soreq plant, Israel’s largest, are:

  • IDE Technologies Ltd and Hutchison Water Ltd;
  • Shikun u’Binui Holdings Ltd, Granite Hacarmel Investments Ltd and Shafir Civil & Marine Engineering Ltd;
  • Kardan NV subsidiary Tahal Group and Veolia Environnement SA unit Veolia Israel Ltd.
  • The three bids are said to be so close that the government may hold an auction, although no decision has yet been made. The Soreq plant will produce 150 million m³ of fresh water a year.