Algeria is looking to overcome its chequered history of desalination problems with a new approach to contracting, as it lays out a series of projects aimed at combating worsening drought conditions. The country has released three requests for proposals for major new SWRO desalination plants in recent months. Procurement of this second generation of plants looks nothing like the first generation 20 years ago, however: gone are PPPs and joint ventures, to be replaced by Algerian companies and EPC contracts. Although the client remains the Algerian Energy Company (AEC), a subsidiary of state oil and gas company Sonatrach which spearheaded the country's previous desal programme in the 2000s, AEC gave overall responsibility for delivering the five new 300,000m~3/d plants to five Algerian civil engineering companies, all Sonatrach subsidiaries (see table, facing page). As well as being responsible for construction, these companies were also tasked with issuing RFPs seeking international partners to "design, supply and commission" the plants. One plant, Alger Ouest, has not been subject to international procurement so far, and it is unclear whether it will be.
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