SPPC prequalifies 23 for round five tender

12 February 2024

Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has prequalified 23 companies that can bid for the contracts to develop and operate four solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a total combined capacity of 3,700MW in Saudi Arabia.

The following solar PV independent power producer (IPP) projects and their capacities make up the National Renewable Energy Programme's fifth procurement round:   

  • 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

According to SPPC, the following companies have been prequalified as managing and technical members of any potential consortium that may bid for the contracts:

  • Abu Dhabi Future Energy (Masdar, UAE)
  • Aljomaih Energy & Water (Jenwa, local)
  • Alfanar Company (local)
  • B. Grimm Public Power Company (Thailand)
  • BGL Renewable Energy Systems Installation (UAE)
  • EDF Renewables (France)
  • FAS Energy (local)
  • Itochu Corporation (Japan)
  • Jinko Power (Hong Kong)
  • Kahrabel (UAE/France)
  • Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea)
  • Marubeni Corporation (Japan)
  • Nebras Company (Qatar)
  • Nesma Renewable Energy (local)
  • Samsung C&T (South Korea)
  • SPIC Huanghe Hydropower Development (China)
  • Sumitomo Corporation (Japan)
  • Total Energies Renewables (France)

The following companies have been prequalified to bid as managing partner only:

  • GEK Terna (Greece)
  • Gulf Energy Development Public Company (Thailand)
  • Jera (Japan)
  • Power Construction Corporation (China)
  • Saudi Electricity Company (local)

Acwa Power is not among the prequalified developers for the NREP fifth-round projects. Partly owned by Saudi sovereign vehicle, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi utility developer is PIF's principal partner for the development of 70% of the kingdom's planned renewable energy capacity until 2030.

SPPC, the kingdom's principal buyer, started the procurement process for the NREP fifth-round projects in November. It received statements of qualifications from interested developers for the contracts the same month.

MEED previously reported that SPPC is preparing to issue the request for proposals (RFP) for the contracts before the end of the first quarter of this year.

US/India-based Synergy Consulting is providing financial advisory services to SPPC for the NREP fifth-round tender.  

Saudi Arabia publicly tendered over 6,600MW of renewable energy capacity between 2017 and 2023. Solar PV IPPs account for 66%, or about 4,400MW, of the total capacity.

Four wind IPPs account for the remaining capacity.

At least three of these publicly tendered renewables schemes are now operational: the 300MW Sakaka solar PV, the 400MW Dumat al-Jandal wind IPP and the Rabigh solar IPP projects.

Round four

SPPC signed the 25-year power-purchase agreements (PPAs) with the successful bidders for the 1,100MW Hinakiyah 1 solar IPP and 400MW Tubarjal solar IPP projects in November.

SPPC signed a PPA with a team led by France's EDF Renewables for the contract to develop the 1,100MW Hinakiyah solar IPP project. In consortium with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the local company Nesma Renewable Energy, the French firm proposed to develop the project for $cents1.68 a kilowatt-hour.

SPPC also signed a PPA with a consortium led by China's Jinko Power for the contract to develop and maintain the 400MW Tubarjal solar IPP scheme.

The principal buyer is reviewing the five bids received in late October for the three wind IPP projects under round four of the NREP.  

SPPC is procuring 30% of the kingdom's target renewable energy installed capacity of 58,700MW through a public tendering process by 2030.

Saudi sovereign wealth vehicle, the Public Investment Fund, is procuring the rest through the Price Discovery Scheme.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo
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