SUEZ, a global leader in circular solutions for water and waste, in collaboration with its partners CTCI Group and Hung Hua, has embarked on an ambitious project to design, build, and operate a large-scale municipal seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in Hsinchu City. This contract, valued at approximately 508 million euros (around US$545 million), includes a 15-year commitment to operation and maintenance. Awarded by Taiwan's Water Resources Agency, this project represents the first collaboration with an international desalination solutions provider, highlighting SUEZ's cutting-edge technologies, expertise in water management, and dedication to water resource preservation.
Taiwan's water supply primarily depends on reservoirs replenished by rainfall. However, climate change and extreme hydrological events have disrupted these patterns, posing significant risks to the region's water security. With the expansion of semiconductor factories in the Hsinchu Science Park, the demand for water is anticipated to increase substantially.
The Hsinchu SWRO desalination plant is designed to produce 100,000 cubic meters of high-quality drinking water per day. This will enhance water supply stability and alleviate water scarcity, benefiting approximately 1.6 million residents and the semiconductor manufacturing industry in Hsinchu City. Construction is slated to begin in July 2024, with completion expected by 2028.
The project will incorporate a compact design, energy-efficient treatment processes, and solar panel installations, thereby saving construction space, minimizing material consumption, and reducing the carbon footprint. Additionally, the implementation of a pigging system for offshore pipe cleaning will reduce the treatments required and generate less wastewater.
Kuo-Long Tsai, Senior Vice President of CTCI Group, remarked: "Ensuring a stable and safe water supply remains Taiwan's top priority for building up a better ecosystem of AI industry. CTCI Group, with its plentiful experiences in EPC projects and operations, is honored to partner with international water treatment leader, SUEZ, and esteemed domestic marine contractor, Hung Hua Construction. Together, we will construct Taiwan's first large-scale public seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per day. This facility is designed to not only provide essential water supply but also promote sustainable development. We are committed to professionalism, integrity, teamwork, and innovation, and we look forward to the successful realization of this significant project."
Chung Pang Chen, General Manager of Hung Hua Construction, added: "The Hsinchu seawater desalination plant is a pioneering large-scale desalination project in Taiwan, capable of producing 10 tonnes of desalinated water per day. With more than 40 years of experience in maritime engineering, Hung Hua is proud to be in charge of the maritime engineering of the intake and outfall seawater system construction in this project."
Sabrina Soussan, Chairman and CEO of SUEZ, stated: "The Hsinchu seawater desalination plant is an example of our commitment to providing access to water services through cutting-edge technologies. It also sets a new benchmark for international cooperation in Taiwan’s water sector. Together with our local partners CTCI Group and Hung Hua, we’re committed to contributing to the region's water security while supporting its economic development."
SUEZ has 50 years of expertise in seawater desalination, exemplified by the construction of one of the world’s largest SWRO desalination plants in Australia — the Victorian Desalination Plant, and the Perth desalination plant. Operational since 2006, the Perth plant supplies over 45 billion litres of clean drinking water annually to more than two million people.
In mainland China, SUEZ is constructing a 100 million litres per day SWRO desalination plant in Shandong. This is SUEZ’s largest seawater desalination project in the industrial sector. It is designed to utilize seawater as a complementary water source for the Wanhua Chemical Group industrial complex, saving more than 36 million cubic meters of freshwater per year, equivalent to the volume of 14,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
