Saudi Arabia shortlists bidders 1.2 GW solar tender

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Energy has released a list of bidders shortlisted for the country’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) round 3 auction. Winners, once announced, will enter into 25-year power purchase agreements (PPA) with Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC).

The 1.2 GW solar power tender round 3 is divided into two categories— Category A includes 120 MW Wadi Ad Dawasir and 80 MW Layla solar projects— Category B has 700 MW Ar Rass and 300 MW Saad solar projects.

For Category A, France’s TotalEnergies has offered the lowest bid in this round, for 120 MW Wadi Ad Dawasir Solar PV IPP with SAR0.0700059 (US$0.019) per kWh. Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power led consortium of China’s SPIC and Water and Electricity Holding Company is also bidding for this project with SAR0.0983772 (US$0.026) per kWh.

The same ACWA Power led consortium is also shortlisted for 80 MW Layla Solar PV IPP having offered SAR0.1118905 (US$0.030) per kWh as the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Another Saudi Arabian company Alfanar with Asma Capital Partners has offered SAR0.1218726 (US$0.032) per kWh.

Comprising large scale projects under category B, for 700 MW Ar Rass Solar PV IPP, ACWA Power led consortium has bid for SAR0.0562342 (US$0.015) per kWh. The other shortlisted bidder for the same project is China’s JinkoPower (HK) Company Limited with SAR0.0576232 (US$0.015) per kWh.