ACS once again preferred the construction of the Galicia treatment plant, which it had abandoned

Last summer, the Board of Directors of the State Trading Company Aguas de las Cuencas de España (Acuaes) reactivated this tender, which attracted the interest of the main construction and infrastructure companies in Spain. They were presented ferrovial, FCC, Action, Sacyr And CombedIn joint ventures between intra-group companies, the top three ranks only fourth. Galician also joined UTE Extra, lantania And question, OHLA next to you Thorn Hydraulic Works And ASOGA, COPASA And Global OmniumAnd GS Inima And St. Joseph. The Contract Board then requested Extraco to correct an error in the Single European Contract Document, with Dragados pointing out that “the declaration of the group of companies does not correspond to the pattern required in the specification”.

Re-tender

The current competition supported by Acuaes is the second competition held in just one year. According to El Correo Gallego from the Prensa Ibérica group, owner of Prensa Ibérica, the capital of Galicia, the previous tender was awarded in 2021 to Drace Infraestructuras SA and Vías y Construcciones SA, subsidiaries of the ACS Group. However, the inflation crisis and the increase in construction costs interrupted the process, although the companies tried to negotiate an overall price increase with Acuaes, Xunta de Galicia and the Santiago City Council; Successful bidders resigned from the competition. This is considered as long as the extra cost exceeds 20%, which forced Acuaes to re-tender the works contract. However, this did not stop ACS from reintroducing itself; but this time not with Drace and Vías y Construcciones, but with another subsidiary, Dragados.

Although potential candidates have until October 10 to submit their offers, it will not be clear before the end of the year which company will carry out the treatment plant works, according to the State Tender Portal. , openings Packages 2 and 3 will not be issued until October 25 and December 5, respectively; It delayed the issuance of the provisional award and then the final decision for several more weeks. Since the implementation period of the contract is 27.5 months, the new treatment plant could become a new reality from mid-2026.

new cleaner

If the construction process ends as expected, Santiago de Compostela will close one of its largest infrastructure projects in almost 30 years. The origins of this reform date back to the 90s.Before 2000, when a European directive forced towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants to have a wastewater treatment system. The capital of Galicia, in addition to 38 other Spanish towns, did not comply, causing Spain to be sanctioned by the Court of Justice. of the European Union.

After investigating the possibility of establishing a new facility, it was decided to expand the existing facility. After the renovation works are completed, the facility will be put into service. Capacity to purify water for a population of 277,000 According to Acuaes in its new tender specifications, it will be able to pre-treat the entire flow from the Sar River outlet during stormy weather. Specifically, the infrastructure will include primary treatment and rainwater treatment, as well as another biological treatment using activated sludge.

Work 65 percent will be financed by AcuaesWith funds provided from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the European Union’s Next Generation; Augas de Galicia will contribute 10 million, and Santiago City Council will contribute the rest. If the company responsible for the construction and management of hydraulic infrastructure in Spanish hydrographic basins wants to reach this European capital, it must have completed the treatment plant works before the specified maximum date, that is, in 2027.