Egypt prequalifies 17 consortia for its water desalination program

Egypt has prequalified 17 consortia for the tendering process for the development of a number of sea water desalination plants, according to a statement released by Sovereign Fund of Egypt on Monday.

The desalination plants will be powered by renewable energy sources in various locations across Egypt under the first phase of the country's water desalination program, the statement added.

Egypt has been pushing to diversify its sources of fresh water for a fast-growing population as it faces competition for Nile river water from the giant hydropower dam that Ethiopia is building upstream.