RIYADH — The Renewable Energy Project Development Office of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy has issued the request for qualifications (RFQ) for Round Three of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which comprises four Solar PV projects with a combined generation capacity of 1,200 MW.

Round Three projects will be divided into two categories: Category A, which targets smaller companies, includes the Layla 80 MW solar PV and Wadi Al Dawaser 120 MW solar PV projects, while Category B includes the Saad 300 MW solar PV and Ar Rass 700 MW solar PV projects.

Eng. Faisal Al-Yemni, head of the Renewable Energy Projects Development Office (REPDO), stated that the projects within Round Three will carry a minimum requirement of 17% local content as calculated by the mechanism defined by the Local Content & Government Procurement Authority, which aims to increase the value-added contribution of products and services in the national economy.

Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) is a long term, multifaceted renewable energy program designed to balance the domestic power mix, whilst implementing KSA’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to avoid carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, directly supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The National Renewable Energy Program aims to substantially increase the share of renewable energy in the power energy mix.

Launched in 2017, REPDO tendered the first round of renewable energy projects, which included Sakaka 300 MW solar PV project, now connected to the national electricity grid, and the Dumat Al Jandal 400 MW wind project, currently under construction.

On July 18, 2019, REPDO launched Round Two of the NREP, which comprised six solar PV projects amounting to 1,470 MW. The deadline for receiving proposals for Round Two projects is Jan. 20, 2020, and Feb. 3, 2020, for categories B and A respectively.

The RFQ window for the Round Three projects closes on Feb. 6, 2020, when the deadline for Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) submissions occurs. Prospective bidders can access RFQ documents through the program’s dedicated procurement portal at: www.powersaudiarabia.com.sa