The Erongo Desalination Plant recorded its highest annual output to date in 2025, producing 17.59 million cubic metres of potable water, a 14% increase from the previous year, operator Orano Mining Namibia has confirmed.
The plant, located near Wlotzkasbaken north of Swakopmund, supplies water to NamWater for use by mines, municipalities and rural communities across the Erongo Region. The successful commissioning of the Sorexa Solar Project, developed by Innosun Energy Holdings under a 10-year power agreement with Orano, now supplies up to 30% of the facility’s electricity and has enabled a 2% reduction in water tariffs. In a statement released last week, EDP operator Orano Mining Namibia highlighted several major achievements during the year.
The solar plant now supplies up to 30% of the desalination facility’s electricity needs, marking a significant shift toward renewable energy. To date, the project has delivered 7 million kilowatt-hours of solar power, generating cost savings of approximately N$4 million. These savings have had a direct benefit for consumers. Orano confirmed that the reduced energy costs enabled the plant to cut the price of water by 2% over the past 12 months. Beyond production and cost efficiencies, the plant also celebrated a major safety milestone in June 2025, reaching 15 consecutive years of operation without a single Lost Time Injury, a benchmark considered world-class in heavy industrial operations. The EDP further demonstrated its technical capacity on 17 June 2025, when it achieved a new daily production record of 63.3 million litres in 24 hours. At peak output, the facility was producing an estimated 734 litres of water per second. With the Erongo Region’s mining sector and urban centres continuing to expand, demand for desalinated water is expected to rise sharply. While the plant currently operates at a capacity of 22.5 million cubic metres per year, its full design capacity stands at 45 million cubic metres. Orano confirmed that planning is already underway to scale up production toward this maximum output. In addition, a pilot plant is scheduled for development early this year to test a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system, aimed at managing periodic sulphur outbreaks in the ocean and ensuring a more stable and consistent water supply. As Namibia grapples with increasing water scarcity, the Erongo Desalination Plant continues to play a central role in securing the region’s economic growth and long-term water resilience.
By Rudi Bowe
