Acwa Signs Joint Agreement for Integrated Seawater Desalination Plant in Indonesia

Saudi-based Acwa Power and Indonesia's state-owned salt enterprise, PT GARAM, have formed a joint development agreement for Indonesia's first utility-scale integrated seawater desalination and industrial salt production facility. Located in Manyar, Gresik, East Java, the USD 400 million project is expected to produce 62,500 cubic meters of desalinated water per day and 500,000 tons of high-purity industrial salt annually.

Acwa Power, a world leader in water desalination and energy transition, sees Indonesia as a key growth market for its integrated solution combining seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) plant and salt production. The project will be built, owned, and operated on a Build-Own-Operate basis by a project company established in Indonesia.

The facility aims to enhance Indonesia's water security by recovering high-purity salt as a co-product of desalination brine management, addressing the nation's demand for industrial salt, which is currently imported and projected to rise to 7.7 million tons by 2028. Additionally, the project presents the potential for recovering additional marine minerals, contingent upon feasibility studies.

PT GARAM, the nation's salt enterprise, sees the agreement as a significant step in modernizing, optimizing, and making the country's salt industry more competitive. The collaboration emphasizes technology and knowledge transfer, ensuring Indonesia has world-class production facilities and a skilled workforce capable of sustainable operation.

Acwa Power's CEO, Tim Anderson, emphasizes the strong foundation this collaboration creates for a tailored solution to Indonesia's needs, focusing on addressing critical national priorities through a single integrated facility. The company's global expertise in large-scale water and power infrastructure development, along with its growing presence in Indonesia, positions it well to support the nation's long-term water and sustainability needs.