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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.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11075413/main.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

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