Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Privatization & Public Private Partnership (NCP) has announced that consortiums of four regional utility developers have emerged as the qualified bidders for the development of a power plant in the Empty Quarter – Rub’al Khali (EQ- Power Project).

These are groups of the Saudi-based Alfanar and Olayan Energy; UAE’s Siraj Power for Renewable Energy; and Bahrain’s Lamar Holding, a key developer of large-scale public-private partnership (PPP) projects across oil and gas and energy transition in the GCC.

The project is being developed by NCP in collaboration with the kingdom’s Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (Zatca) in the kingdom’s Rub’al Khali region. It is being implemented on the design, build, finance, operation, maintenance and transfer model. The duration of the project will cover the construction period and 25 years of operations and maintenance.

The scope of work for the winning bidder includes:

•   Design and develop the facility in accordance with Zatca’s defined electricity demand at the EQ land port and the minimum technical requirements and output specifications;

•   Operation and maintenance of the power generation facility for a defined term of the project in accordance with the minimum technical requirements and output specifications specified;

•   Power generation and distribution up to the Zatca interface point;

•   Arranging of relevant permits and necessary approvals for the construction and operation of the plant.