Promoting Industry Development Through Water Production by Technology: CTCI Secured the Largest Seawater Desalination Plant Project in Taiwan’s Public Construction Record

TAIPEI, June 26, 2024- CTCI, Taiwan’s largest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services provider, has been actively echoing the government’s “Enhancement of Water Production by Technology” policy. With its track record of executing multiple water reclamation plants, CTCI, along with its subsidiary ECOVE, is partnering with SUEZ, a renowned global service provider specialized in circular solutions for water and waste, and Hung Hua Construction, an expert in maritime construction. Together, we have been awarded the contract for the “Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of the Hsinchu Desalination Plant”. Expected to be completed by 2028, the desalination plant will have a capacity of 100,000 CMD, making it the largest desalination plant in Taiwan’s public construction record. 

This project, located near Nanliao Fishing Port in Hsinchu City, is prioritized for construction among the eight government-led million-ton-level desalination plants for annual production. The contract, worth approximately NTD$17.7 billion, includes project management, engineering, procurement, construction, and 15-year operation and maintenance. The plant will produce 30 million tons of desalinated water per year, which will be incorporated into the drinking water system to supply both residents’ daily consumption and high-tech industrial use in Hsinchu City. This diversification of water resources will foster economic growth, and support the government’s policy of transforming Taiwan into an “artificial intelligence (AI) island”.

With over 40 years of experience in the field of water resources, CTCI has developed numerous Green Engineering projects worldwide, implementing net-zero initiatives and protecting the ecosystem. By introducing several leading desalination technologies, we have optimized processes to achieve energy savings by 17% and a 16% reduction in GHG—equivalent to the carbon reduction capacity of 60 Daan Forest Parks. These benefits are realized through saving the footprint of the plant, reducing the use of chemical additives, producing less sludge, installing solar panels ,and adopting energy recovery system.

Regarding brine discharge, which is a public concern, we have implemented an innovative brine reuse technology that reduces brine discharge by 400,000 tons per year, conserving seawater and protecting the ocean ecosystem. Additionally, to connect with the nearby fisherman’s wharf, the plant site is designed to incorporate a 17-kilometer coastline and a corridor for tourism, revitalizing the coastal area and serving as a low-carbon park for public leisure. Furthermore, this project is an academia-industry collaboration with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, conducting research on mineral extraction through carbon dioxide reaction in brine, with the aim of transforming it into a commercial product to realize circular economy and protect the ecosystem.

In response to the global business opportunities in water recycling and the government’s “Enhancement of Water Production by Technology” policy, CTCI has expanded its services by securing contracts for the investment, construction, and operation of five water reclamation plants. Notably, the Southern Taiwan Science Park Water Reclamation Plant has been recognized as the world's first industrial reclaimed water plant introduced into the chip-making process. The contracted desalination plant will be a key step for CTCI and Taiwan in the field of desalination, marking another achievement for CTCI’s Green Engineering projects and fulfilling the ESG vision of being a “Guardian of Sustainable Earth”.