Saudi Arabia Releases Tender for Solar Capacity worth 1.515 GW

Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) has announced that it has released an expression of interest for the development and construction of seven new solar PV independent power producer (IPP) projects with a joint potential capacity of 1.515 GW.

The concise scale of work for all winning bidders will include the development, design, permitting, engineering, financing, procurement, construction, commissioning, testing, completion, ownership, insurance, operation and maintenance of the seven projects.

The projects will have a power range of 20-600 MW and will be located in several locations. Three of the sites, the 600 MW Al Faisaliah project and the Rabigh and Jeddah schemes – each of 300 MW – will be located near Jeddah. Two projects will be in Al Madinah province, with Madinah the nearest city to the 50 MW Madinah and 20 MW Mahd Al Dahab plants. The list is rounded out by the 45 MW Rafha Solar project in the Northern Borders province, near Rafha city; and the 200 MW Qurayyat Solar scheme in Al Jawf province, near Qurayyat. The closing date for developers to convey intent to partake in the procurement exercise is on February 14.

REPDO anticipates these projects to utilize around 5,000 people in the Kingdom and supply more than 220,000 households. The tender is part of the second round of the Saudi National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which this year is estimated to allocate around 2.2 GW of solar capacity. REPDO announced new national renewable energy targets this month under which the Saudi government plans to install 40 GW of solar as part of an overall 58.7 GW renewables ambition by 2030.