Saudi Arabia Advances Solar and Gas Power Projects

The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), which serves as the primary entity for acquiring power projects in Saudi Arabia, has recently disclosed the prequalification of 23 companies. These firms are set to vie for the fifth installment of the kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP).

This latest round, known as Round 5, will feature four solar photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Plant (IPP) projects, collectively offering a capacity of 3,700 megawatts (MW). This includes the substantial 2,000MW Al-Sadawi IPP project located in the Eastern province, the 1,000MW Al-Masaa IPP project in the North-Western Hail region, the 400MW Al-Henakiyah-2 IPP in the Madinah region, and the 300MW Rabigh-2 IPP project situated in the Makkah region.

Among the prequalified entities, 18 companies have been included under the combined managing and technical member category:

1. Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar)
2. Al Jomaih Energy & Water Co.
3. Alfanar Company
4. B. Grimm Power Public Company
5. BGL Renewable Energy Systems Installation
6. EDF Renouvelables
7. FAS Energy KSA
8. ITOCHU Corporation
9. Jinko Power (HK)
10. Kahrabel
11. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO)
12. Marubeni Corporation
13. Nebras Power
14. Nesma Renewable Energy
15. Samsung C&T Corporation
16. SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development Co.
17. Sumitomo Corporation
18. Total Energies Renewables SAS

In addition, five companies have attained prequalification in the managing member category:

1. GEK TERNA
2. Gulf Energy Development Public Company
3. JERA
4. Power Construction Corporation of China
5. Saudi Electricity Company (SEC)

The call for prequalification was initiated in November 2023.

Prequalification for 7.2GW of Gas-Fired Projects

Earlier in February 2024, the SPPC also announced the pre-qualified developers for four gas-fired combined cycle power projects with a total capacity of 7,200MW, designed to be ready for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS).

The invitation for prequalification, which pertains to the Rumah-1 and Rumah-2 IPPs in the central region, as well as the Nairyah-1 and Nairyah-2 IPPs in the eastern region, each capable of producing 1,800MW, was released in January 2024.

For these projects, SPPC has prequalified 17 companies and consortia under the combined financial and technical member category:

1. Consortium Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) and JERA
2. ACWA Power
3. Ajlan and Bros for Trading Company and China Power International Holding (CPIH) consortium
4. EDF Middle East
5. Engie
6. GE Power Conversion
7. Gulf Energy Development Public Company
8. Jomaih Energy and Water Company
9. Korea Electric Power Corporation
10. Marubeni Corporation
11. Nebras Power
12. Power and Water Utility Company for Jubail and Yanbu (Marafiq)
13. Samsung C&T
14. SEC
15. Sojitz Corporation
16. Summit Global Power
17. Kansai Electric Power Co

Furthermore, three entities have been prequalified exclusively in the financial member category:

1. Gulf Investment Corporation
2. Mitsubishi Power
3. Siemens Energy Global

Lastly, China Gezhouba Overseas Investment Company stands alone as the single firm prequalified in the technical member category.