Two expected to bid for 1.5GW Madinat Zayed power plant
13 January 2025
At least two developer consortiums are expected to bid for a contract to develop and operate a new open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) power generating plant in Abu Dhabi’s Madinat Zayed area.
Abu Dhabi-based utility and offtaker Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the 1,500MW Madinat Zayed independent power producer (IPP) project in July.
It initially expected to receive bids in the fourth quarter of last year, but MEED understands the last day for prequalified companies to submit their proposals has been extended.
According to industry sources, the two teams preparing to bid for the contract are separately led by France’s Engie and Saudi Arabia’s AlJomaih Energy & Water.
The Madinat Zayed IPP is planned to begin commercial operations in Q3 2027. It will provide up to 1,500MW of backup generation, which can be operational at very short notice.
“Gas-fired plants like Madinat Zayed are key to ensuring a reliable energy supply while the country transitions to a decarbonised water and electricity system,” Ewec said in a statement on 29 July.
“These types of plants will be particularly important for supporting the growth of solar power, providing crucial flexibility during peak power demand periods and acting as a bridge to a future powered exclusively by clean and renewable sources.”
Ewec issued the RFP for the Madinat Zayed IPP four days after it tendered the contract to develop a 400MW battery energy storage system IPP and five days after it floated a tender for the development of the 2.5GW Taweelah C combined-cycle gas turbine plant.
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Siemens Energy wins $1.6bn Saudi deal
13 March 2025
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Chinese engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor Harbin Electric International has awarded Germany’s Siemens Energy a contract to supply combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units for the Rumah 2 and Nairiyah 2 independent power projects (IPPs) in Saudi Arabia.
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Photo credit: Siemens Energy
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> AGENDA 1: Chinese firms dominate region’s projects market> AGENDA 2: China construction at pivotal juncture> UPSTREAM 1: Offshore oil and gas sees steady capex> UPSTREAM 2: Saudi Arabia to retain upstream dominance> DIRIYAH: Diriyah CEO sets the record straight> SAUDI POWER: Saudi power projects hit record high> AUTOMOTIVE: Saudi Arabia gears up to lead Gulf’s automotive sector> EGYPT: Egypt battles structural issues> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf hits six-month growth streak> CONTRACT AWARDS: High-value deals signed in power and industrial sectors> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projectsTo see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click herehttps://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13483115/main.jpg -
Chinese builders go global
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Commentary
Colin Foreman
EditorRead the March MEED Business Review
It is difficult to fathom the scale of growth experienced by China’s construction sector over the past 20 years. Since 2004, it has grown by over 800%, with a compound annual growth rate of 11% to reach an estimated value of $4.5tn.
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