Singapore’s water agency PUB has shortlisted four companies to submit proposals for a desalination plant on Jurong Island, following a pre-qualification round.
Three of the four are based in Singapore: Keppel Infrastructure, Sembcorp Utilities, and Tuas Power; and the other is Malaysia-based YTL Power International.
PUB’s vision is to co-locate the new plant with existing facilities already operated by these companies in Jurong Island, whether power plants or steam generation plants, and to exploit potential synergies in energy and other resources including seawater intake and outfall structures.
PUB has asked for proposals for a design, build, own, operation contract, to include a 25-year water purchase agreement setting out the tariff structure and terms and conditions for supply and purchase of desalinated water. The 137,000 m3/d capacity desalination plant is slated to be built by 2020.
The project will add to Singapore’s existing desalination capacity, which comprises two plants in operation, SingSpring and Tuaspring; a third plant expected to complete in Tuas in 2017; and the Marina East desalination project, also slated for completion in 2020.
In January 2017, Keppel was awarded a design, build, own, operate contract with a 25-year water purchase agreement for the Marina East project, which will have capacity of 137,000 m3/d.
Desalination is a central plank of Singapore’s water resilience strategy, and is expected to meet 30 per cent of its water needs by 2060. “As a source of water that is independent of rainfall, it bolsters the reliability of our supply against prolonged dry spells and drought,” said PUB director of engineering development and procurement, Young Joo Chye.