Red Sea Governor Studies New Desalination Plant at Hurghada's Marine Intake

Red Sea Governor Walid El-Barqi is studying whether to build a new seawater desalination plant in Hurghada, after inspecting the city's gas-fired power station and the marine water intake facing it on Friday, according to Al-Ahram's Gate (Bawabet Al-Ahram).

The governor examined the station's direct marine intake to assess the site and weigh using it for a new drinking-water desalination plant, one intended to meet the demands of urban expansion and the city's growing tourism activity, the paper reported.

Al-Ahram Gate said the gas station's output exceeds Hurghada's own consumption, enough to supply the city on its own should the national grid go down.

The inspection party included the station's director, Eng. Ashraf Shazly Hassan, operations manager Eng. Munir Rizk El-Morsi, and Red Sea Secretary General Hassan Mowafy.

El-Barqi said the governorate treats basic infrastructure as a priority, and that expanding seawater desalination is meant to provide fundamental solutions to water scarcity — particularly during the summer — and sustainable services for residents and visitors alike. Fagr El-Youm carried the same account of the visit.

It is not the governorate's first move on water this year. Cairo24 reported in March that El-Barqi had ordered a new Hurghada desalination plant of 10,000 to 15,000 cubic metres a day, to enter service by July, ahead of the summer peak; he asked then for technical studies to be finished quickly and the most suitable location chosen. Friday's reports did not say whether the marine intake site is tied to that project.

No cost estimate, capacity or construction timeline was given for the plant now under study.