Saudi Power Procurement Company (Principal Buyer) has issued a requests for qualification (RFQs) for the seventh round of its National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP), which includes six solar and wind projects with a total capacity of 5.3GW, further advancing the country’s transition toward clean energy. Of this, solar will account for 3.1GW capacity.

 

A government-owned entity in Saudi Arabia, the Principal Buyer is responsible for procuring electricity from independent power producers. It plays a vital role in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's power sector by procuring electricity from private sector companies, ensuring a stable supply to meet the country's growing energy demands, said the company in a statement.

 

The Principal Buyer is the entity responsible for preparing feasibility studies, tendering electricity generation projects, and signing power purchase agreements with developer consortia. 

 

To date, the Principal Buyer has launched renewable electricity generation projects with a total capacity of over [43] GW. Of these, power purchase agreements have been signed for projects with a total capacity of over [38] GW.

 

As part of the request for qualifications, the Saudi Power Procurement Company is inviting contractors and suppliers to deliver the five solar projects that have already been approved for deployment under programme: two at the Tarbajal portfolio, with a combined capacity of 1.4GW; the 600MW Mawqaq project; the 600MW Tathleeth project; and the 500MW South Al Ula project.

 

The wind power projects include the 1,300 MW Bilghah wind farm and the 900 MW Shagran wind farm. Each project will be developed in line with regional resource advantages.

 

The core objective of this bidding round is to increase the share of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia’s power mix, reduce reliance on liquid fuels in power generation, and achieve diversified and sustainable energy supply. 

 

Saudi Arabia’s solar industry has shown rapid expansion in recent years. As of July 2025, it had tendered projects totaling 43.2 GW, signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) for 38.7 GW, and successfully integrated 10.2 GW into the grid.-TradeArabia News Service