His Highness Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Madinah Region, has laid the foundation stone for several ambitious environmental, water, and agricultural projects in Saudi Arabia. The inauguration ceremony, attended by the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, marked the beginning of a series of developments aimed at enhancing the region's infrastructure and sustainability.
Among the key initiatives is the Rayyis and Rabigh Independent Water Transmission Pipeline Project. This project, boasting a transmission capacity of 500,000 cubic meters per day, comes with an estimated cost of 2.4 billion riyals (US$639.5 million). The Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) announced the financial closure of the project in March 2024. The Rayyis-Rabigh pipeline is pioneering in the region, developed with significant private sector involvement and designed to transmit water in both directions. This innovation will ensure a continuous and efficient drinking water supply across the Makkah and Madinah regions.
Stretching 150 kilometers, the pipeline will connect water desalination sources in Makkah and Madinah. Constructed and operated on a Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) basis, the project will span 35 years from its anticipated commercial operation date in the second quarter of 2026.
In addition to the Rayyis-Rabigh project, Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz also inaugurated the Yanbu Independent Water Production Project. This project aims to supply 450,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day to the Makkah and Madinah regions at a cost of 3.3 billion riyals (approximately US$880 million). Developed by a consortium led by ENGIE, along with Saudi companies Nesma and Mowah, the Yanbu 4 IWP utilizes advanced reverse osmosis technology powered by solar energy, representing a significant step towards sustainable infrastructure.
Furthermore, SWPC's CEO, Eng. Khaled Alqureshi, conducted site visits to various SWPC projects, including the Rabigh 4 Independent Water Production Project. This project features a 600,000 cubic meters per day seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant, a potable water storage facility with a capacity of 1,200,000 cubic meters, and a solar photovoltaic capacity of 6.804 MWp. The Rabigh 4 project, managed by a consortium including ACWA Power, Haji Ali Reza (HAACO), and Al Moayyed, is slated for completion by March 31, 2026.