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Taqa-led consortium to develop two power plants in Saudi Arabia

The two new plants will be developed by respective special purpose entities

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), together with Jera Co, Japan’s largest power generation company and Al Bawani Capital, a subsidiary of AlBawani Holding, a leading and diversified contracting and development group, have entered into two 25-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) on a build, own and operate basis, to develop two new greenfield combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power projects with a total power generation capacity of over 3.6 GW in Saudi Arabia.

The PPAs follow SPPC’s announcement for the award of contracts for the 1.8 GW Rumah 2 and 1.8 GW Al Nairyah 2 conventional independent power producer (IPP) projects to a consortium comprising of Taqa, Jera and AlBawani.

The Rumah 2 IPP and Al Nairyah 2 IPP will use the highest efficiency CCGT turbines available and will enable the utilisation of carbon capture technologies. The projects support the kingdom’s energy mix ambitions which aim to meet power demand through an optimal energy mix for electricity production of 50 per cent from renewable energy and 50 per cent from gas technology by 2030. The plants are also in alignment with the Saudi Green Initiative that aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through the circular carbon economy by 2060, or earlier depending on the availability of necessary technologies.

The two new plants will be developed by respective special purpose entities owned by Taqa (49 per cent), Jera (31 per cent) and AlBawani (20 per cent) with operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plants to be undertaken by the partners through respective O&M special purpose entities with the same shareholding structure.

Farid Al Awlaqi, chief executive officer, Taqa’s generation business, said: “Taqa has ambitious growth targets of 150GW by 2030, and this announcement marks a major milestone for 2024 with the addition of a further 3.6 GW of low-carbon gas-fired power capacity in Saudi Arabia, making it five greenfield projects in the kingdom under development in Taqa’s portfolio. In addition to signing the PPAs, we are taking on the role as the lead developer and will oversee the operations and maintenance of these two world-class plants, demonstrating our expanded operational capabilities. The announcement of these two greenfield power projects cements Taqa’s position as a low-carbon power and water champion and as a trusted and sustainable developer, investor and operator in several key markets.”

Steven Winn, chief global strategist, Jera, said: “In line with Jera’s goal to achieve net zero by 2050, the award of these two high-efficiency independent power projects, featuring state-of-the-art HL class gas turbines, reinforces Jera’s commitment to decarbonising thermal power generation. This key milestone was successfully achieved thanks to the excellent teamwork of all stakeholders, SPPC and our partners, Taqa and AlBawani, including our contractors in reaching this critical milestone. These projects align perfectly with our strategy to provide efficient, sustainable, and technologically advanced energy systems, contributing to the Kingdom’s and our customers’ vision for a sustainable and optimised energy supply.”

Fakher AlShawaf, Group CEO of AlBawani Holding, said: “The partnership with Taqa and Jera on these state-of-the-art power plants marks a transformative milestone for AlBawani, reinforcing our commitment to advancing the kingdom’s energy diversification initiatives. This project represents our dedication to sustainable practices and our commitment to advancing the goals of Vision 2030. Through this project, we aim to deliver a highly efficient and reliable power solution that will play a crucial role in meeting the kingdom’s growing demand for energy, while also advancing local expertise and creating new opportunities for economic growth. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to realise this vision and bring lasting value to Saudi Arabia’s energy landscape.”

Earlier this year, Taqa together with Jera reached the financial close of a new industrial steam and electricity cogeneration plant that will produce electricity and steam for a petrochemical complex located in Jubail in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.