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Strategic Seawater Desalination Project
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Project overview
The seawater desalination plant on the Syrian coast is a strategic step within the Saudi investment package in Syria. The project is led by ACWA Power, a company that specializes in water desalination and power. It aims to address water shortage challenges and to provide sustainable sources of drinking water.
The project comes as part of a series of large scale Saudi investments across multiple sectors, including aviation and telecommunications. It is presented as part of efforts to support the development of basic infrastructure in Syria. The plant focuses on seawater desalination and water transmission, which is expected to contribute to water security in coastal areas and other beneficiary regions.
Significance for the investment environment
According to the project's stated framing, ACWA Power's investment in this sector is described as a technical response to the water shortage and as an indicator of confidence in the Syrian investment environment. The project is expected to support economic and social development by providing a basic resource for daily life and economic activity.
Technical studies and water sources
The Director General of the General Authority for Water Resources, Ahmed Al-Kawwan, stated that the studies included drilling experimental wells along the coast. He noted that freshwater springs were identified in the sea at a distance of about 500 meters from the shore, and that these can be used within the new system.
Role in development efforts
The desalination plant project on the Syrian coast is presented as a component of wider development efforts. It is framed as part of a partnership intended to build a more secure and sustainable water supply for Syria, supported by Saudi expertise and investment.
Frequently asked questions
Who is developing the seawater desalination project on the Syrian coast?
The project is led by ACWA Power, a Saudi company that specializes in water desalination and power, in coordination with the Ministry of Energy in Damascus.
What is the project's main objective?
It aims to address water shortage challenges and provide sustainable sources of drinking water through seawater desalination and water transmission for coastal and other beneficiary areas.
How does the project relate to other Saudi investments in Syria?
It is part of a series of large scale Saudi investments spanning multiple sectors, including aviation and telecommunications.
What did the technical studies find?
According to Ahmed Al-Kawwan, Director General of the General Authority for Water Resources, the studies included drilling experimental wells along the coast and identified freshwater springs in the sea at about 500 meters from the shore that can be used within the new system.
Update — 2026-02-08
According to ACWA Power's official statement of 8 February 2026, the ACWA–Water Transmission Company (WTCO) consortium signed a Joint Development Agreement with the Ministry of Energy of the Syrian Arab Republic for seawater desalination and water transmission projects.
The agreement, per the same statement, defines a scope of technical, commercial and feasibility studies covering water demand assessment, available resources, and desalination and transmission solutions, for a total desalination capacity of up to approximately 1.2 million cubic metres per day, alongside associated transmission networks and ancillary facilities. ACWA Power CEO Marco Arcelli described the approach in the statement as "structured and phased." By its own terms the agreement is an assessment and study phase preceding later development stages, not a construction decision.
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