Sonatrach CEO Inspects Tlemcen Desalination Plant Project Set to Supply 3 Million People
TLEMCEN, Algeria – October 25, 2026 – Sonatrach Chairman and CEO Nour Eddine Daoudi conducted a field inspection on Saturday, October 24, of the new seawater desalination plant under construction at Aïn Adjroud Beach, in the municipality of Marsa Ben M’Hidi, Tlemcen province.
The visit was attended by Cosider Group CEO Hamid Khemliche, Algerian Desalination Company (ADC) CEO Lahcen Bada, and local authorities from Tlemcen.
The project is part of Algeria’s broader efforts to strengthen water security and expand drinking water production through major desalination infrastructure investments.
During the inspection, project officials presented updates on site preparation, engineering operations and preparations for concrete construction works.
Mouloud Hachlaf, Assistant to the CEO of the Algerian Desalination Company, confirmed that the initial engineering phase had been completed, including infrastructure planning, marine works and equipment selection.
He explained that construction activities were progressing according to established technical requirements and schedules.
The facility’s first operational phase is expected to produce 150,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day, providing additional supplies to western Algeria.
Meanwhile, Sami Ghezala, a senior executive at Cosider Canalisations, reported that approximately 1.3 million cubic meters of earth had already been excavated.
Further structural construction works are expected to begin shortly.
Covering approximately 15 hectares, the Aïn Adjroud desalination plant will eventually reach a production capacity of 300,000 cubic meters per day.
Once fully operational, it is expected to supply drinking water to around three million residents across Tlemcen and neighboring provinces.
The facility will use reverse osmosis technology, which removes dissolved salts and impurities from seawater to produce drinking water.
The project is also expected to generate around 1,500 jobs, including 100 permanent positions associated with its initial operational phase.
The Tlemcen facility forms part of a supplementary national desalination program that includes two additional plants in Mostaganem and Chlef.
Each facility is designed to produce up to 300,000 cubic meters of water daily.
The program aims to reduce dependence on dams, groundwater and other conventional water resources while improving water supply reliability across western Algeria.
These investments contribute to Algeria’s national strategy to increase seawater desalination capacity by 2030.
The Aïn Adjroud project represents a significant addition to the country’s water infrastructure, with its first production phase expected to improve drinking water availability before the plant reaches full operational capacity.
