« My fear was that there would be no competition to win this market. But we finally had to choose between two solid and competing files », Comments Christian Estrosi, the president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. On February 16, the local authority’s tenders committee unanimously designated the prospective winner. a consortium led by Degrémont France to build and operate (for 11 years and two months) Haliotis 2, the future wastewater treatment plant from Nice Côte d’Azur.
Nice: the PPP of the market of national interest stopped by the appeals
It’s about a complete reconstruction on site from the current Haliotis station, at the western entrance to Nice. The future equipment, in addition to an increased treatment capacity to collect wastewater from 25 municipalities (in particular those currently treated by the Saint-Laurent-du-Var wastewater treatment plant), will be a model in terms of environmental performance with the treatment of micropollutants, the production of biogas thanks to the methanation of sludge, the reuse of wastewater in the non-drinking water network, etc. It also aims toenergy autonomyby combining reduced consumption and energy production from the recovery of calories from the station’s treated wastewater, a network developed by Dalkia.
A project of more than six years
Launched when Veolia had set its sights on Suez to give birth to a global giant in the sector, the outcome of this consultation – a global performance market – had raised questions while the two groups were in the running for this market. The creation of the “new Suez”, which continues to carry out its activities in water and waste with French local authorities, has made it possible to avoid a monopoly situation and to maintain competition in offers.
The detailed project proposed by Degrémont for Haliotis 2 will be unveiled in a few weeks. We know that, in addition to Degrémont, the consortium counts as partners Suez Services France, Razel Bec, Triverio, Fayat Energy Services and as subcontractors WITH, Intrafor chiefs, La Nouvelle Sirolaise, Garelli.
The schedule provides for administrative fine-tuning, including in particular the building permit, between 2023 and mid-2024, work from the second half of 2024 until 2030. During all those years, the challenge will be maintaining wastewater treatment on the current station with shifts in flow as new structures are built. For the financing of the project, a huge contract of 540 million euros excluding tax of investment and 700 million euros excluding tax with the exploitation for more than 11 years, it will be ensured by the designated contracting authority – the Régie Eau d’Azur, which has taken over the sanitation competence of the Metropolis – with subsidies expected from the State and Europe.
