The water and power generation sectors in Saudi Arabia are some of the fastest growing industries in the Middle East.  Demand for electricity in the Kingdom is expect to reach 60,000 megawatts (MW) by 2020, up from the current production capacity of 47,000 MW. In an effort to meet the ever increasing demand, while at the same time restructuring the industries for greater effectiveness, the Saudi Electricity Company will invest over $80 billion in generation, transmission, and distribution project in the next 10 years. Encouraging participation from the private sector, the Saudi Government has initiated private ownership through independent water and power projects (IWPP) across the Kingdom.  These developments also address the need for water desalination, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities, an area where the National Water Company plans to invest $2.7 billion over the next five years alone.  Saudi Arabia is pursuing water conservation policies in concert with the World Bank and the United Nations and has established research programs that aim to use nanotechnology and solar energy to supply fresh water in a sustainable fashion.