meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Saudi Arabia moves nuclear bid deadline

2 November 2023

Saudi Arabia's Duwaiheen Nuclear Energy Company has extended the tendering process for the contract to build the kingdom's first large-scale nuclear power plant facility.

According to a source close to the project, the client expects to receive proposals for the contract by 31 December, two months later than the previous bid submission deadline.

Companies that have been invited and are expected to bid for the contract include:

  • China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC, China)
  • Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea)
  • Rosatom (Russia) 
  • EDF Group (France)

    Neither King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-Care) nor the apparent bidders have confirmed the bidders list.

    The project is in the so-called bid invitation specification stage, and there are no direct negotiations taking place between the client and the potential bidders at this stage, as MEED reported in July.

    Saudi Arabia plans to build a large-scale nuclear power plant facility as part of its energy diversification agenda. 

    Earlier this month, a source close to the project said the ongoing conflict in Gaza is not likely to help advance negotiations between the countries with a key stake in the project.

    Consultants

    Duwaiheen Nuclear Energy Company this year received three bids for the project management consultancy package for the nuclear plant project.

    MEED understands the following companies submitted proposals for the contract:

    • Atkins (UK/Canada)
    • Worley (Australia)
    • Assystems (France)

    Two of the three bidders have had previous engagements with the Saudi nuclear energy project. 

    In July 2018, France’s Assystem was appointed to conduct a site characterisation study, environmental impact assessment and preliminary safety analysis report to assist with the selection of the preferred site for the kingdom’s first planned nuclear power project.

    A site at Khor Duwaiheen, on the coast near the UAE and Qatari borders, was subsequently chosen for the first project.

    The same year, KA-Care appointed Worley for the project management office consultancy role for the nuclear energy programme. Worley is understood to have previously completed the Large Nuclear Power Plant (LNPP) site selection study for KA-Care.

    KA-Care also awarded three separate contracts for the project's legal, technical and financial advisory works.  It awarded a team led by UK-headquartered EY the financial advisory contract in May 2022. Legal and technical consultancy contracts for the project were signed earlier. 

    2.8GW project

    The Duwaiheen nuclear power plant is expected to be procured using a traditional design-and-build model. 

    In September 2016, MEED reported that Saudi Arabia was carrying out technical and economic feasibility studies for the first reactors, and was also looking at possible locations for the kingdom’s first nuclear project, a 2.8GW facility.

    In March 2022, Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of a holding company – understood to be the Duwaiheen Nuclear Energy Company – to develop nuclear power projects in the country to produce electricity, desalinate seawater and support thermal energy applications. 

    Related reads: 

    Prince Abdullah bin Khalid bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said at the time that the kingdom was working on a framework programme for nuclear energy in 2022-27, which includes “capacity building and collaboration with international institutes for research and development”.

    This followed Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud's announcement in January 2022 that Saudi Arabia has uranium resources that it wants to exploit transparently through partnerships.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11265079/main.gif
    Jennifer Aguinaldo

    Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

    Click here to register
    Exclusive from Meed
    Related Articles
    • Read the March 2026 MEED Business Review

      3 March 2026

      Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access

      Saudi Arabia’s priorities have shifted over the past decade, with officials at February’s Private Sector Forum confirming a reprioritisation since 2016 that includes postponing the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena and scaling back projects such as The Line in response to global economic uncertainty.

      In 2026, the Public Investment Fund’s role as the main driver of development is shifting towards greater private sector involvement, a transition examined by MEED editor Colin Foreman in the latest issue of MEED Business Review.

      March’s market focus is on Egypt, where the country’s crisis mode is giving way to a cautious revival. 

      This edition also reports that the region’s downstream sector may face subdued project spending in 2026 due to flattening demand and weak margins.

      In the latest issue, we disprove the Ramadan slowdown story, present exclusive leadership insight from Jacobs on delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth and outline some important lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning. We also talk to senior executives at Enersol, Lamar Holding and Metito. 

      We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review. 

       

      Must-read sections in the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:

      > AGENDA: Saudi Arabia’s private sector picks up the baton

      > RAMADAN: Data disproves the Ramadan slowdown story

      INDUSTRY REPORT:
      Downstream
      > Chemicals producers look to cut spending
      > Global petrochemical project capex set to rise until 2030

      > LEADERSHIP: Delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth

      > POWER: Lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning

      > INTERVIEW: Abu Dhabi’s Enersol charts acquisitions path

      > INTERVIEW: Lina Noureddin, CEO of Lamar Holding, on the evolving PPP landscape

      > INTERVIEW: Contract award marks Metito’s return to municipal projects

      > MARKET FOCUS EGYPT: 
      > COMMENT: Egypt’s crisis mode gives way to cautious revival
      > GOVERNMENT: Egypt adapts its foreign policy approach
      > ECONOMY & BANKING: Egypt nears return to economic stability
      > OIL & GAS: Egypt’s oil and gas sector shows bright spots
      > POWER & WATER: Egypt utility contracts hit $5bn decade peak
      > CONSTRUCTION: Coastal destinations are a boon to Egyptian construction

      > MEED COMMENTS: 
      >       Winter Games delay raises uncertainty for Saudi construction
      > Duqm petrochemicals revival provides fillip to Gulf projects market
      > Solar deals signal Saudi Arabia’s energy ambitions
      > Hydrogen bridge awaits bankable contracts

      > GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index leaps upward in 2026

      > JANUARY 2025 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards

      > ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

      > OPINION: The war that (almost) no one wants

      > BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts

      To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
      https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839736/main.gif
      MEED Editorial
    • Firms prepare Port of Duqm consultancy bids

      3 March 2026

      Oman’s Port of Duqm has issued tender notices inviting consultants to bid for two packages by mid-March.

      The scope of the first tender covers the consultancy services for inspection, scope preparation and supervision of the sewage treatment plant.

      The bid submission deadline is 18 March.

      The scope of the other tender includes the consultancy services for port marine traffic assessment/simulation and impact study.

      The bid submission deadline for this package is on 17 March.

      Both tenders were floated late last month.

      The Port of Duqm is a deepwater, multipurpose port on Oman’s Arabian Sea coast, developed within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sezad).

      Its location outside the Strait of Hormuz is a key advantage, positioning Duqm as a strategic alternative gateway for cargo moving between the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and East Africa, and supporting Oman’s push to grow non-oil trade and port-led industry.

      Designed to handle a mix of cargoes, including containers, dry bulk, breakbulk and liquid bulk, the port forms part of a wider Duqm complex that also includes a major dry dock and large industrial land allocations for energy, manufacturing and logistics projects.

      As the port and SEZ expand in phases, consultancy tenders typically reflect the next steps in delivery and operations, covering engineering and technical studies, commercial assessments, and readiness planning tied to new terminals and industrial tie-ins.

      https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15840397/main.jpg
      Yasir Iqbal
    • Diriyah awards Pendry superblock package

      3 March 2026

       

      Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Diriyah Company has awarded an estimated SR2.5bn ($666m) contract to build the Pendry superblock package in the second phase of the Diriyah Gate development (DG2).

      The contract was awarded to the local firm Saudi Constructioneers.

      The Pendry superblock encompasses the construction of a hotel, known as the Pendry Hotel, along with residential and commercial assets.

      The project will cover an area of 75,365 square metres (sq m) and is located in the northwestern district of the DG2 area.

      Contractors had submitted final proposals for a contract in September last year, as MEED reported.

      The tender was issued in June last year.

      The latest contract follows the Diriyah Company’s award of a SR717m ($192m) contract for the construction of the One Hotel, located in the Diriyah Two area of the masterplan.

      The contract was awarded to the joint venture of local firm BEC Arabia and Indian contractor Ashoka Buildcon.

      The project has a gross floor area of over 31,000 sq m.

      The Diriyah masterplan envisages the city as a cultural and lifestyle tourism destination. Located northwest of Riyadh’s city centre, it will cover 14 square kilometres and combine 300 years of history, culture and heritage with hospitality facilities.

      https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15778187/main.jpg
      Yasir Iqbal
    • Local firm to develop $598m Muscat tourism project

      3 March 2026

      Oman’s Ministry of Heritage & Tourism has signed an agreement with local firm Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company to build an integrated tourism complex in the Al-Qurm area of Muscat.

      The project will be developed with a total investment estimated at RO230m ($598m).

      Planned across more than 165,000 square metres (sq m), the development will include two four-star hotels offering over 400 rooms, alongside leisure components such as an indoor games hall and trampoline attractions.

      The site will also incorporate commercial spaces and freehold residential units, among other amenities.

      The agreement was signed by Sayyid Ibrahim Bin Said Al-Busaidi, minister of heritage and tourism, and Khaled Khudair Mashaan, chairman of Al-Argan International Real Estate Company, who signed as the authorised representative for Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company.

      GlobalData forecasts that the Omani construction industry will expand at an average annual growth rate of 4.2% from 2025 to 2028.

      Growth in the country will be supported by rising government investments in renewable energy and transport infrastructure, as well as in the housing sector, as part of the Oman Vision 2040 plan.

      https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839476/main.jpg
      Yasir Iqbal
    • Firms to build Jeddah Islamic port logistics zone

      3 March 2026

      The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has signed an agreement with Dammam-headquartered Sultan Logistics to develop a new logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port’s Al-Khumra site.

      According to a statement posted by Mawani on X, the project will cover about 200,000 square metres and represents an investment of SR250m ($66m).

      Planned facilities include warehouses, designated areas for storing and servicing dry and refrigerated containers, and a re-export section.

      Mawani said the development is intended to strengthen the port’s position on the Red Sea by upgrading service quality, supporting private sector participation and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s broader economic diversification goals.

      Jeddah Islamic Port currently operates 62 multipurpose berths and can handle up to 130 million tonnes a year.

      The latest agreement follows Mawani’s April 2025 signing of more than SR500m ($133m) in agreements with local firms to develop two logistics parks at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, as reported by MEED.

      In a statement, Mawani said that in 2024, it launched and inaugurated eight logistics parks with an estimated investment of about SR3bn ($800m).

      The firm said: “These investments are part of the broader development of over 20 logistics centres under Mawani’s supervision across Saudi ports, with total investments over SR10bn ($2.6bn).”

      GlobalData expects the Saudi construction industry to record an annual average growth rate of 5.2% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, electricity, housing and tourism infrastructure projects, as well as the $850bn-plus gigaprojects programme.

      The infrastructure construction sector is expected to grow at an average rate of 6% in 2025-28, supported by government investments in rail, dams and road infrastructure projects.

      https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15838212/main.gif
      Yasir Iqbal