Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, a leading global clean energy developer, has secured contracts from the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) for two major solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Saudi Arabia, with a combined capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW). These are the 1,400-megawatt (MW) Najran Solar PV plant and the 600MW Ad Darb Solar PV Plant
Part of Saudi Arabia’s Sixth Round of Renewable Energy Bidding
The projects were awarded under the sixth round of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) and will be developed under an Independent Power Producer (IPP) model on a build, own, and operate (BOO) basis. Masdar has signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with SPPC for both projects.
Details of the Projects
The awarded projects include the 1,400-megawatt (MW) Najran Solar PV plant and the 600MW Ad Darb Solar PV facility.
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The Ad Darb project, located in Jizan Province, is expected to commence commercial operations in late 2027.
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The Najran project, located in Najran Province, is set to begin operations in the first half of 2028.
Supporting Saudi Vision 2030
Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi stated:
“Masdar is proud to support Saudi Arabia in achieving its Vision 2030 renewable energy targets. Winning the Najran and Ad Darb projects marks a significant expansion of our Saudi portfolio and reflects our two decades of expertise in developing and operating large-scale renewable energy projects. We look forward to contributing to the Kingdom’s sustainable economic growth.”
Expanding Presence in Saudi Arabia
SPPC, the principal buyer responsible for tendering and managing power generation projects, has so far awarded a total capacity of 43.2GW, of which 12.3GW is already connected to the grid.
Masdar has consistently secured the largest capacity in SPPC’s competitive tenders for three consecutive years. Its other ongoing Saudi projects include:
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1,100MW Al Henakiyah Solar Project, scheduled to begin operations in 2026
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2,000MW Al Sadawi Solar Project, expected to start operations in 2027
Project Factsheet
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Projects: Najran Solar PV (1,400MW), Ad Darb Solar PV (600MW)
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Total Capacity: 2GW
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Developer: Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC)
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Principal Buyer: Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC)
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Model: Build, Own, and Operate (BOO)
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PPA Duration: 25 years
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Commercial Operation: Ad Darb – late 2027; Najran – H1 2028
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Program: Sixth Round, National Renewable Energy Program (NREP)
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Masdar Portfolio: 51GW global capacity; 100GW target by 2030
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Key Saudi Assets: 300MW Jeddah Solar Plant, 400MW Dumat Al Jandal Wind Farm
