Voimaa Punaisesta merestä Kuolleeseen mereen

On Dec. 3, the government of Jordan announced it has raised about US$400 to finance the first phase of the US$10 billion Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Project (Red-Dead). According to the Palestinian Authority, the multinational proposal is to build a 180 km pipeline engineered to carry up to two billion cubic meters (cm) of seawater per year from the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea through Jordanian territory to the Red Sea. In a statement, the Water Ministry indicated that construction on the project’s first phase, estimated to cost $1.1 billion, is scheduled to begin in early 2018 and be completed by 2020.

According to the World Bank, which gave its approval for the project, “The more than 400-meter difference in elevation between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea has long been enticing because of the gravity flow advantage and the considerable potential for hydropower generation.” The planned hydroelectric plant would supply electricity to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. [rew]