BUSINESS REPORTER
MUSCAT, OCT 20
Veolia’s Bahwan Veolia Water has secured a five-year contract to operate and maintain Oman’s Al Asilah desalination plant, adding an 80,000-cubic-metre-a-day facility to its operations in the country.
The contract was awarded by Al Asilah Operation and Maintenance LLC and covers the desalination plant and its on-site solar photovoltaic farm.
Bahwan Veolia Water is a partnership between Veolia and Bahwan Engineering Company. Al Asilah becomes the fourth desalination facility operated by Veolia in Oman, alongside plants in Sur, Barka IV and Salalah.
Veolia said Al Asilah and its existing Sur plant would together produce drinking water for approximately 600,000 people across South Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
The proximity of the facilities would allow them to share technical resources and operational expertise, supporting efficiency and reliability, the company said.
The plant is owned by Al Asilah Desalination Company, whose major shareholders include Japan’s JGC Holdings Corporation and Oman’s Bahwan Group.
Philippe Bourdeaux, Veolia’s Executive Senior Vice-President for Africa, Near and Middle East, said the contract would strengthen the group’s partnership with Oman and support its target to double the desalination capacity it operates worldwide by 2030.
“Desalination is a cornerstone of water security in the Middle East,” he said.
Veolia said combining the management of water production and the solar installation would help improve operational performance and support lower-carbon drinking water production.
Bahwan Engineering Company said the partnership combined international expertise with local capabilities to maintain essential water infrastructure.
It said Bahwan Veolia Water would focus on safety, efficiency and reliability while developing its operations and maintenance expertise, with a view to expanding its services across Oman’s water sector.
Sunao Horii, General Manager of Al Asilah Operation and Maintenance, said the award followed an extensive period of discussions and negotiations.
“Today, however, is not the end of that journey. It marks the beginning of a new chapter and the start of our journey together,” he said.
Veolia, which has operated in Oman’s water sector for nearly 20 years, said the contract would also support Omanisation through training and professional development.
Local teams would draw on the group’s domestic, regional and international expertise to strengthen Omani capabilities in the operation of strategic water infrastructure, it said.
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