Spotlight: Israeli firm’s US$5.5bn desal project in Mexico
A consortium led by Israeli firm IDE Technologies is seeking to build a US$5.5bn desalination plant in Puerto Peñasco in northern Mexico’s Sonora state and then sell the water from the Sea of Cortez to border state Arizona once operations start in 2027.
Following a proposal from IDE, Arizona’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) said in a resolution on December 20 that it agreed to “allow staff to further explore the proposal and ensure the competitive advantage of the State of Arizona.”
The authority, which was recently created by state legislation to guarantee water for Arizona, will meet again on January 25.
Arizona broadcaster ABC 15 reported that IDE needs the purchasing commitment from the state’s authorities before moving forward with the project.
Mexican authorities have not commented on the proposal, but the company said in its submission to WIFA that “this project will also provide water to Sonora, Mexico without impacting the amount of water committed to Arizona.”
On its website, IDE claims to operate more than 400 desalination plants in more than 40 countries, including some in Latin America.
The desalination plant would be connected to a water distribution facility and reservoir in Arizona through an almost 328km-long system of pumps and pipes.
It would “draw water from the Sea of Cortez, desalinate it, move it, and provide up to 1 million acre feet of water (1 billion cubic meters) a year, for 100 years and more to the State of Arizona,” the company said.
