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Elsewedy Electric completes 348.6 MW El Saad solar power plant in Saudi Arabia

Type: Development · Technology: Solar · Country: Saudi Arabia · Capacity: 348.6 MW · Announced: 2026-03-09

Elsewedy Electric for Power Transmission & Distribution completed the 348.6 MW El Saad solar power plant, developed in partnership with Jinko Power and Al Ghazala Energy Company Limited, with SPPC as the offtaker.

Analysis

The completion of the 348.6 MW El Saad solar power plant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marks a significant operational milestone for the development consortium, particularly highlighting the successful execution capabilities of Elsewedy Electric for Power Transmission & Distribution. This project, developed in partnership with Jinko Power and Al Ghazala Energy Company Limited, demonstrates a clear commercial logic centered on meeting Saudi Arabia's growing energy demand with renewable sources. The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) acting as the offtaker provides long-term revenue certainty, de-risking the substantial investment in the 348.6 MW facility. For Jinko Power, a clean energy supplier focused on power station development, the El Saad plant directly expands its operational portfolio in a key MENA market. Al Ghazala Energy Company Limited, traditionally known for its 850 MW Shuqaiq 2 Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP) in thermal power, signals a strategic diversification into large-scale solar generation through this partnership. Elsewedy Electric for Power Transmission & Distribution, an EPC contractor and developer across MENA, leverages its expertise to deliver the 348.6 MW solar plant, reinforcing its position beyond traditional transmission and distribution infrastructure. The involvement of Elsewedy Transformers, a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric, as a supplier of power and distribution transformers, illustrates an integrated supply chain approach within the broader Elsewedy group. Key international suppliers like Siemens Energy, focused on driving the energy transition, and Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia, a leading provider of energy management solutions, contributed critical components and services to the Riyadh project. Additionally, Madrid-based OCA Global provided technical services, while Saudi Arabian Alfanar, a company with global renewable energy development interests, also acted as a supplier. This multi-party collaboration, with SPPC tendering power generation projects in Saudi Arabia, underscores the country's structured approach to integrating 348.6 MW of new solar capacity into its grid.

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