ACWA Power, a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest private water desalination company, has been recognized by Global Water Intelligence (GWI) as the world’s largest water project developer outside of China.

ACWA takes a significant lead on GWI’s July list of top global water project developers, with 6.8 million m3/d of gross capacity and 3.2 million m3/d of net capacity. In 2022 alone, the company added 2.4 million m3/day of water desalination capacity via four desalination plants in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, the highest in its history. 

The figures reflect ACWA Power’s success in the highly competitive GCC desalination market, speaking to its capability to consistently secure development contracts for the most significant independent water projects in the region.

“Most importantly, we are incredibly proud of our teams that tirelessly strive and work closely with local communities and other stakeholders to ensure our projects are aligned with our commitment to provide potable water in a responsible, sustainable and cost-effective manner,” added Mr. Arcelli.

GWI’s list covers private and semi-private companies that have delivered water and wastewater treatment projects using private finance by taking equity stakes in project companies, covering both the gross capacity and the aggregated capacity based on the percentage size of stakes they hold in the plants.

With more than 15 Integrated Water Projects (IWPs) in the pipeline for the next five years in the GCC, ACWA Power is well-positioned to take advantage of these opportunities, while expanding its reach into emerging markets.