New Dhekelia

New Dhekelia is the plant that will replace the oldest desalination plant in Cyprus. The cabinet approved it on 2 September 2026, together with plants at Agia Thekla and Polis Chrysochous, subject to all approvals and permits. It is to stand beside the existing Dhekelia plant, which has run since 1997, with a capacity of 80,000 m³ a day. Because it replaces a 60,000 m³ a day plant, the net gain is 20,000 m³ a day.

The timetable has already slipped. The target was 2029; on 15 September 2026 the agriculture minister told the House agriculture committee that it would be completed in 2030, with a tender expected in early 2027. Who will build and run it has not been decided, and no cost has been published; a public-private partnership is under consideration. In July 2026 the Water Development Department (WDD) tendered feasibility and value-for-money studies for all its desalination projects. The government says the new plants will use renewable energy where feasible.

The main open question is the gap before it opens. The operating contract of the existing plant ends on 20 May 2027. In 2026 the WDD was negotiating an extension, and the volumes for 2027 and 2028 were not yet secured. It is also not settled whether the old plant will close as soon as the new one starts.