Two final bids for Sfax desal construction

Tunisia’s Societe Nationale d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE) has received final offers from just two of the six prequalified bidding groups for construction of the 100,000 m3/day Sfax reverse osmosis seawater desalination project. The groups still in the running are Orascom/Metito/Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Tecnicas Reunidas/Hitachi Zosen. The project is expected to be awarded in Q4 2020.

JICA signed a JPY36.676 billion ($340 million) 25-year (inclusive of seven-year grace period) untied ODA loan to fund the project in 2017. The debt is priced at 170bp.