Metso Automation will deliver valves to seawater desalination plant to be constructed by thermal desalination specialist company SIDEM of France (Société Internationale de Dessalement). The first part of the delivery will take place in the first quarter of 2008. One of the world's largest desalination plants will start its operations in 2010. The order value exceeds EUR 3 million.

Metso Automation's delivery consists of close to 300 control valves for 27 desalination units, each having a capacity of 29,630 m3/day. The diameters of the ordered valves range between 80 to 1,100 mm.

The desalination plant will be a part of the Independent Water and Power Production Project (IWPP) that is led by power and water utility company MARAFIQ of Saudi Arabia. After the completion of the project, the desalination plant will provide 800,000 m3/day of desalinated water to Jubail Industrial City and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

IWPP project will be carried out by a consortium of SIDEM, General Electric of USA and Hyunday Heavy Industries of Korea. SIDEM, part of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, is one of the world leaders in thermal seawater desalination through low temperature distillation processes.