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Saudi Arabia is planning to tender 6 gigawatts (GW) of gas-fired combined cycle power projects with carbon capture and storage (CCS) readiness in 2025, according to its Minister of Energy, Abdulaziz bin Salman.
These projects form part of a wider programme to upgrade existing power plants and build new CCS-ready, high-efficiency, combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants.
“We have already committed to carbon capture, so whoever questions our commitment [or] that we will use unabated gas or unattended to gas is wrong because each and every contract that we have signed over the last 2 years had that commitment of making sure that capture and storage readiness will be there,” Salman said while speaking at the Future Investment Initiative (FII8) in Riyadh.
'Unabated' refers to the burning of gas where resulting greenhouse gas emissions are released directly into the atmosphere.
The Kingdom is targeting approximately 42GW of new CCS-ready combined cycle capacity by 2030, accoriding to the Minister's presentation. While 21GW has been tendered, 9GW are currently under construction and 5.6GW connected to the grid.
Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) is procuring these power projects under the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.
Salman added that the Kingdom is implementing liquid-to-gas conversion project targeting a total capacity of 23 GW. The project aims to transition existing power generation fleet from oil or liquid fuel to natural gas.
According to the Minister’s presentation, four CCGT IPP projects are in the final stage of award with a total capacity of 7.2 GW. These include Roumiah 1 and 2 [Rumah-1, Rumah-2] and Nouyriah 1 and Nouyriah 1 [Nairyah-1 and Nairyah-2], each with a capacity of 1,800 megawatts (MW). Companies from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Japan, China, France, Germany, South Korea, Thailand, Kuwait and Qatar have been prequalified to bid for these projects.
CCGT power plants under construction include Taiba 1 and 2, North Qassim 1 and 2, each with a capacity of 1,800 MW, and Rabigh expansion, all adding up to a total capacity of 7.9 GW.
Four CCGT power plants connected to the grid with total capacity of 5.6 GW include PP 13, PP14, Green Dhiba and Waad Al Shammal.
The presenation stated that 7 existing power plants are undergoing expansion representing a total capacity of 14.6GW. These include Ghazlan 1 and 2, PP12, Qurayah, Murjan, Qurayah (Hajer).
(Writing by Anoop Menon; Editing by SA Kader)
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