Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 17, Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has launched the seventh round of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) with the release of a request for qualification (RFQ) covering 3.1 GW of solar capacity across four projects. Developers are invited to pre-qualify by September 29.

The program includes a 1.4 GW (AC) solar facility planned near Hima in Al-Jouf province, a 600 MW (AC) plant near Bisha in Asir province, a 500 MW (AC) project in Madinah, and another 600 MW (AC) development near Mawqaq in Hail province. These projects will be implemented under a build-own-operate (BOO) model, requiring the selected developers to finance, construct, and operate the facilities.

This tender follows the sixth round of the program, announced in September 2024, which also targeted 3 GW of solar generation across four projects. That round included a 1.4 GW (AC) facility near Hima in Najran province, a 600 MW (AC) project near Ad Darb in Jizan province, a 600 MW (AC) plant in Jazan, and a 400 MW (AC) array near Al Sufun in Hail province.

SPPC has been steadily expanding its renewable energy procurement efforts through multiple bidding rounds. In October 2024, it named the selected bidders for the fifth round, which aimed to allocate 3.7 GW of capacity. That group of projects included the 2 GW (AC) Al Sadawi plant in eastern Saudi Arabia, the 1 GW (AC) Al Masa’a project in northern Hail province, the 400 MW (AC) Al Henakiyah 2 plant in western Madinah province, and the 300 MW (AC) Rabigh 2 facility in western Makkah province.

The sequential auctions demonstrate the government’s plan to diversify its energy mix and promote renewable energy as part of long-term development strategies. Each round has brought forward larger and more geographically diverse projects, with facilities distributed across provinces including Najran, Jizan, Hail, Madinah, Al-Jouf, and Makkah.

Through the BOO structure, the responsibility for financing and execution is placed on the private sector, while SPPC manages procurement and overall program coordination. This approach is designed to attract investment, enhance efficiency, and accelerate the deployment of solar capacity.

The seventh round highlights a continued focus on large-scale photovoltaic plants, with projects ranging from mid-sized 500 MW units to mega-projects exceeding 1 GW. Once completed, these facilities are expected to contribute significantly to meeting domestic energy demand with clean resources and supporting broader sustainability goals.

With pre-qualification closing at the end of September, interested developers have limited time to submit proposals for inclusion in this round. The projects, when realized, will further strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the key players advancing renewable energy development in the region.