Taiba 1 and Qassim 1 bids due today
15 August 2023
Four utility developer consortiums are expected to submit their proposals today for the contracts to develop and operate the next two gas-fired independent power projects (IPP) with a total combined capacity of 3,600MW in Saudi Arabia.
The gas-fired Qassim 1 and Taiba 1 IPP schemes will each have the capacity to generate 1,800MW of electricity.
State-backed power offtaker Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) received the bids for the Qassim 2 and Taiba 2 IPPs in late July.
At least four consortiums comprising the following companies submitted bids for the Taiba 2 and Qassim 2 IPP contracts and are expected to bid for the Taiba 1 and Qassim 1 contracts:
- Acwa Power (local) / Saudi Electricity Company (local)
- Taqa (UAE) / Jera (Japan)
- Nebras (Qatar) / Marafiq (local) / Kepco (South Korea)
- AlJomaih (local) / EDF (France) / Sojitz (Japan)
The offtaker qualified over 20 companies to bid for the contracts, as MEED reported in February.
Packaged initially as two individual IPPs, each with a capacity of 3,600MW, the two projects have been split into four smaller schemes, with each tranche having a capacity of 1,800MW.
Decarbonisation options
Most qualified developers and investors are considering their response to the retendered contracts to develop the projects, MEED previously reported.
The decarbonisation option in the request for proposals (RFP) issued in January is weak, sources told MEED.
The new request for proposals was expected to include a provision for carbon capture and sequestration readiness and other potential solutions to address greenhouse gas emissions when deemed feasible.
The measure aims to attract greater participation from developers, engineering, procurement and construction contractors, and original equipment manufacturers.
Taiba IPP
The 3,600MW Taiba IPP, the first of two original schemes to be launched last year, received a single bid in November last year.
A team comprising Saudi utility developer Acwa Power and Abu Dhabi National Energy (Taqa) is understood to have submitted a bid for the contract on 28 November.
Another consortium containing Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) and Qatar’s Nebras Power was expected to bid, but declined to submit, according to industry sources.
These are the first gas-fired power generation plants to be procured since 2016, when Saudi Arabia awarded the 1,500MW Fadhili IPP to a consortium led by France’s Engie.
UAE-headquartered Cranmore Partners is the client’s financial adviser for the project.
Germany’s Fichtner Consulting and UK-based Linklaters have been appointed as technical and legal advisers, respectively.
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Exclusive from Meed
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Dubai seeks consultants for drainage projects6 February 2026
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Modon tenders Ras El-Hekma construction contracts6 February 2026
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Egypt contractor secures €58m loan for Hungary power plant6 February 2026
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AD Ports signs Jordan Aqaba port PPP deal6 February 2026
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Chinese firm wins Ceer automotive supplier park deal6 February 2026
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The request for qualifications (RFQs) was issued by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department (SRPD).
The bid submission deadline is 26 February.
The first scheme under the package is TF-16-C1, which involves upgrading and rehabilitating the stormwater system east of the Dubai Canal.
The second, TF-15-C2, will deliver stormwater links along Umm Suqeim Road to serve the Al-Barsha and Al-Quoz communities.
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Modon tenders Ras El-Hekma construction contracts
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Abu Dhabi-based developer Modon Holding has tendered several contracts as part of the first phase of development at Ras El-Hekma, a planned new city on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
MEED understands that the tenders were issued in January.
These include:
DP3 assets: covering 146 residential villas, 590 three-bedroom townhouses, 356 four-bedroom townhouses, a mall and other associated works.
Bids due on 23 February.
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DP7 assets: 120 five-bedroom villas, 230 seven-bedroom villas, 284 branded residential units and other infrastructural works.
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Modon has accelerated development works at Ras El-Hekma this year. In January, MEED reported that Modon Holding had awarded a E£15bn ($316m) contract for the construction of a project at Ras El-Hekma.
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The scope of the contract covers the construction of residential units, commercial facilities and a 70-key hotel.
In September, MEED reported that Modon Holding had tendered contracts for the infrastructure works for the first phase of the Ras El-Hekma project.
As part of the first phase, Modon plans to develop more than 50 million square metres (sq m), including hotels and a marina.
Ras El-Hekma is on a spur of land on Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coastline, about 240 kilometres west of Alexandria.
Last year, Abu Dhabi-based holding company ADQ appointed Modon Holding as the master developer for the Ras El-Hekma project.
According to an official statement, Modon will act as the master developer for the entire development, which will cover more than 170 million sq m.
Modon Holding will develop the first phase of the project, which will cover 50 million sq m.
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In September 2024, Modon signed several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with local and international firms to join the development. It signed a framework agreement with Orascom Construction to serve as the primary contractor for the project’s first phase.
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Commercial International Bank Egypt (CIB) has provided €58m in credit facilities to local firm Elsewedy Electric for the construction of a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Hungary.
Located in Visonta, the plant will be the largest combined-cycle facility built in Hungary in decades and the country’s first power plant capable of using hydrogen.
Once complete, hydrogen will be able to supply up to 30% of the plant’s fuel needs.
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It was awarded by MVM Matra Energia, a subsidiary of Hungary’s state-owned power holding company Magya Villamos Muvek (MVM).
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AD Ports signs Jordan Aqaba port PPP deal
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Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports Group has signed an agreement with Jordan’s Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) to manage and operate the Aqaba multipurpose port.
AD Ports will manage and operate the port under a 30-year concession agreement.
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AD Ports will hold a 70% stake in the joint venture, with the remaining 30% held by ADC.
AD Ports Group will also invest AED141m ($38.4m) in the joint venture.
The signing ceremony was held at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority headquarters in Aqaba on 5 February.
The agreement was signed by Hussein Safadi, CEO of ADC, and Ahmed Al-Mutawa, regional CEO of AD Ports Group.
Aqaba port handles about 80% of Jordan’s exports and 65% of its imports.
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In 2025, the terminal handled over 5.3 million tonnes of cargo and nearly 85,000 car equivalent units of Ro-Ro imports.
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The Al-Madouneh customs centre covers about 1.3 million square metres (sq m) and was inaugurated in June last year.
The announcement followed AD Ports Group’s signing of a shareholders’ agreement in January 2024 between its digital arm, Maqta Gateway, and Jordan’s Aqaba Development Corporation regarding their existing joint-venture company, Maqta Ayla.
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AD Ports Group operates the Aqaba cruise terminal, and selected Dubai-based real estate developer Mag Group to lead the first phase of the Marsa Zayed mixed-use project.
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Chinese firm wins Ceer automotive supplier park deal
6 February 2026
Beijing-headquartered Metallurgical Construction Corporation (MCC) has won a contract to undertake the steel structure works on the Ceer automotive supplier park in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).
The supplier park is located next to Ceer’s electric vehicle (EV) production facility in KAEC.
The automotive supplier park will include production and ancillary facilities for various suppliers and provide the material supply infrastructure for Ceer’s EV plant.
The facilities include:
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Earlier this week, MEED exclusively reported that Ceer had awarded a contract to build the automotive supplier park to Jeddah-based construction firm Modern Building Leaders (MBL).
Netherlands-based engineering firm Arcadis is the project consultant, and Pac Project Advisors is the project management consultant.
Ceer retendered the project in September last year.
The latest contract award is another significant contract win for MCC in Saudi Arabia. In January, MEED reported that MCC had won a contract to undertake the steel structure works on Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium at the Qiddiya City project on the outskirts of Riyadh.
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