Saudi Arabia's principal buyer, Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), has extended by one week the deadline for companies to submit their prequalification applications to bid for the contracts to develop and operate five renewable energy independent power projects (IPPs).

The projects, comprising four solar photovoltaic (PV) IPPs and one wind IPP, will have a total combined capacity of 4,500MW.

SPPC issued the prequalification request in late September with submissions initially set for 15 October. This date has been extended to 22 October.

The following schemes comprise round six of the kingdom's National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP):

• 1,500MW Dawadmi wind IPP  (Riyadh)
• 1,400MW Najran solar PV IPP (Najran)
• 600MW Samtah solar PV IPP (Jizan)
• 600MW Al-Darb solar PV IPP (Jizan)
• 400MW Al-Sufun solar PV IPP (Hail)

These schemes take the total capacity of publicly tendered solar and wind projects by SPPC to close to 15,000MW.

SPPC is responsible for the pre-development, tendering and subsequent offtaking of the energy from the projects.

US/India-based Synergy Consulting is providing financial advisory services to SPPC for the NREP sixth-round tender. Germany's Fichtner Consulting and US-headquartered CMS are providing technical and legal consultancy services, respectively.

SPPC received six bids in August for the contracts to develop and operate four solar PV IPP projects with a total combined capacity of 3,700MW under the NREP's fifth procurement round.

According to industry sources, the companies that submitted bids for the contracts on 12 August are:

• EDF Renewables (France) / Etihad Water & Electricity (UAE) / SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development (China)
• Masdar (UAE) / Nesma Renewable Energy (local) / Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea)
• Jinko Power (Hong Kong) / Saudi Electricity Company (local)
• Aljomaih Energy & Water (Jenwa, local) /  Total Energies Renewables (France)
• Engie / Kahrabel (France/ UAE)
• Alfanar Company (local)

The following solar PV projects and their capacities make up round five of the NREP:

• Al-Sadawi solar IPP (Eastern Province): 2,000MW
• Al-Mas solar IPP (Hail): 1,000MW
• Al-Hinakiyah 2 solar IPP (Medina): 400MW
• Rabigh 2 solar IPP (Mecca): 300MW

The kingdom aims to achieve an optimal energy mix and supply 50% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030 through the NREP, which is being implemented through a public capacity procurement process by SPPC and a price discovery scheme by Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle the Public Investment Fund.