IDE lead consortium’s largest and most advanced seawater desalination facility of its kind began operation in Ashkelon
The World’s largest and most advanced sea water desalination plant of its type began operation in Ashkelon. As of December 2005 the plant operates in its full capacity and produces 100 million cubic meters of desalinated water, with the approval of the Ministry of Health, Water Commission, the Water Desalination Administration and the Ministry of Environment.
The Plant was constructed with an investment of over a billion NIS, and is operated by VID Desalination Company Ltd. (V.I.D.), a consortium lead by IDE Technologies Ltd. which is equally owned by Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL) of the Israel Corporation Ltd. and by Delek Group.
The Agreement with the State is based on the BOT principle, whereby the entrepreneurs finance and construct the desalination plants on the State’s land which is made available to them. They operate the plant as a private business, and sell the water to the government of Israel at a pre-defined price, over a period of 25 years (including the construction period). At the end of the contract period, the plant is handed over and becomes government property.
The Ashkeon desalination facility uses Reverse Osmosis technology, a modern process technology used in a variety of water desalination applications. The facility provides high-quality drinking water, while making use of advanced means of energy recovery. The price of water produced stands at approximately 2.6 NIS per cubic meter.
The plant’s site is about 70,000 square meters. Its construction works included the supply and installation of all desalination equipment, civil works engineering, buildings and infrastructure, structures for the pumping of sea water, channeling to the desalination plant, brine outflow to the sea, product water treatment till the final quality of drinking water is achieved. All this in accordance with the parameters set out in Health Regulations. The drinking water is channeled to Mekorot’s Reservoir located next to the Power Plant constructed for the independent production of electricity for the needs of the Desalination Facility.
Mr. Avshalom Felber, General Manager of IDE Technologies Ltd., who also serves as VID’s Chairman, said that “IDE’s vast experience and know-how in the provision of quality desalinated water applications accumulated in over 350 different desalination plants and facilities, supplied to over 40 countries, has served as the basis for the construction of the Ashkelon Desalination Project.”
General Manager of VID, Gustavo Kronenberg said that, “VID is pleased to be the first company to construct an innovative and technologically advanced Desalination Facility in Israel”. According to Kronenberg, “there exists no world water deficiency, only the problem of excess salts, and VID has proved that it is possible to desalinate sea water in an economical and safe way.” He added that “the Desalination Facility provides approximately 15% of the total household water consumption in Israel.” According to him, “desalinating sea water is the most effective solution for the water shortage in Israel, and the Ashkelon Facility - the largest and most advanced of its kind in the world - will contribute to the Israeli water scheme and boost Israel’s position as world leader in the field of desalination.”
Learn more on the structure and features of the South Israel (Ashkelon) Project.