CHILE – Antofagasta Minerals’ Los Pelambres copper mine expansion project will be delayed six months due to the suspension of works caused by the pandemic. Originally, the $1.3 billion expansion project was scheduled for completion in 2021. Antofagasta Minerals CEO Ivan Arriagada announced that the company expects construction work to resume progressively under new health protocols to reduce contagion risks. The company is also constructing a seawater desalination project and in order to reduce the risk of future water shortages, the company decided to double the plant’s production capacity to 69,120 m3/d. The company stated that an update on the project schedule and costs will be provided in the last quarter of 2020. (BNamericas)
U.S.A. – Production at the Claude Lewis Carlsbad desalination plant has been cut back to conserve electricity and prevent rolling blackouts during the heat wave in California. The San Diego County Water Authority stated that the reduction in output makes an additional 8 megawatts of power available for other uses and further load reduction is possible if necessitated by the heat wave. (Times of San Diego)
The Carlsbad desalination plant in San Diego, California. Credit: Mott MacDonald
U.S.A. – The Alice City Council selected Seven Seas Water Corporation to design and build a brackish desalination plant near Alice City’s water treatment plant. Seven Seas will finance, design, build, own, operate and maintain the brackish water reverse osmosis plant and the project is estimated to cost $12 million. The city will pay Seven Seas $0.49 per cubic meter water over a 15-year period and is expecting to use 11,356 m3/d. After expiration of the contract, the city will take over the ownership and operations of the plant at no additional costs. (Caller Times)
SAUDI ARABIA – The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has signed a research cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an American company specialized in water desalination innovation. According to the memorandum, SWCC aims to take advantage of a modern device that recovers energy in the desalination process of reverse osmosis plants, in order to reduce energy consumption by more than 50%, increase production yield by 20%, raise brine concentration to 15% and reduce costs by more than 15%. (Utilities Middle East)
U.S.A. – Energy Recovery, Inc. revealed it signed contracts totalling $4.7 million, including a deal to provide their PX Pressure Exchanger devices to the largest floating desalination project in the world. The project consists of three floating desalination stations with a total production capacity of 150,000 m3/d. The project is expected to launch towards the end of 2020 and will supply water to the Saline Water Conversion Corporation. (Yahoo! Finance)