Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), the principal buyer of electrical energy and capacity for power projects in the Kingdom, has prequalified 21 companies to participate in the development of four Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)-ready Independent Power Plant (IPP) projects with a total capacity of 7,200 megawatts (MW).

Taiba 1, Taiba2, Qassim 1 and Qassim 2 IPPs would be gas-fuelled combined cycle power plants of 1,800 MW capacity each.  Taiba is located in the Western region while Qassim is located in the Central region.

The Request for Proposals (RGP was issued on 21 January 2023 while the prequalification list was released on 31 January 2023.

Eighteen companies were prequalified as Financial and Technical Members (FTM):

1.Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA)

2.Kahrabel FZE - Engie

3.EDF

4.General Electric Company

5.International Company for Water and Power Projects (ACWA Power)

6.JERA Co

7.Korea Electric Power Corporation

8.Marubeni Corporation

9.Nebras Power

10.The Kansai Electric Power Co Inc.

11.Saudi Electricity Company

12.Power and Water Utility Company for Jubail and Yanbu (Marafiq)

13.Samsung C&T Corporation

14.Sumitomo

15.NTPC

16.China Power International Holding Ltd + Ajlan Brothers

17.Al Jomaih Energy & Water Co. (AEW) + EDRA Power Holdings

18.Sojitz Corporation 

Two companies, Alfanar Company and Gulf Investment Corporation, were prequalified as Financial Members, while Orascom Construction was listed as Technical Member.

In December 2022, SPPC had announced that it is re-tendering the 3,600 MW Taiba and the 3,600MW Qassim IPPs into four smaller combined cycle power projects of 1,800MW capacity each with provision for CCS readiness in alignment with the Saudi Green Initiative, and the Kingdom’s Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) net-zero ambition by 2060.

SPPC had said that previously qualified developers for Taiba and Qassim IPPs would be automatically qualified for the new projects.

The new projects will open up opportunities for developers to implement CCS or other potential solutions to address GHG emissions where feasible, enable greater participation of developers, EPCs, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and drive further local content and value-added to the Kingdom, the SPPC statement said.