Saudi Arabia reveals bidders for 3.7 GW solar tender

Saudi Power Procurement Co. (SPPC) announced this week the selected bidders for the final phase of the fifth round of the Saudi Arabian government’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP).

The document published by SPPC comprises a list of “managing and technical members” as well as a list of “managing members.”

The first list includes:

• UAE-based renewable energy developer Masdar
• Saudi Arabia-based energy company Al Jomaih Energy & Water Company (AEW)
• Saudi developer Alfanar
• Thailand-based industrial group B.Grimm Group
• UAE-based BGL Renewable Energy Systems Installation LLC
• EDF Renouvelables, the renewable energy unit of French energy giant EDF
• Renewable energy company FAS Energy, a unit of Saudi industrial group Fawaz Al Hokair Group
• Japan’s Itochu Corporation
• China-based Jinko Power
• Kahrabel FZE, a unit of French energy company Engie
• Korean utility Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO)
• Japan’s Marubeni Corporation
• Qatar-based Nebras Power
• Saudi energy company Nesma Renewable Energy (NRE)
• South Korean engineering company Samsung C&T Corporation
• China-based SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development Co. Ltd.
• Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation
• Total Energies Renewables SAS, a unit of French oil and energy company Total

The second list comprises:

• Greek conglomerate GEK Terna
• Thailand-based Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited
• Japanese utility Jera
• Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina)
• Saudi Electricity Company

The tendered PV plants include the 2 GW (AC) Al Sadawi plant located in the country’s east and the 1 GW (AC) Al Masa’a project located in northern Hail province. It also includes the 400 MW (AC) Al Henakiyah 2 plant located in western Madinah province and the 300 MW (AC) Rabigh 2 array located in western Makkah province.

Projects will be overseen by SPPC – the government-owned entity tasked with procuring electricity from independent power producers – which will be responsible for the predevelopment, tendering and subsequent offtaking of energy.