By: Utilities Middle east

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) has been awarded two major solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Saudi Arabia, with a combined capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW), under the sixth round of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP).

The projects — the 1,400-megawatt (MW) Najran solar plant and the 600MW Ad Darb facility — will be developed under an Independent Power Producer (IPP) model on a build, own, operate (BOO) basis. A 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) has been signed with the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC).

The Ad Darb plant, located in Jizan Province, is scheduled to begin commercial operations in late 2027, while the Najran project, in Najran Province, is expected to come online in the first half of 2028.

“Masdar is proud to support Saudi Arabia to achieve its Vision 2030 renewable energy targets,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar. “Winning the Najran and Ad Darb projects marks a significant expansion of our Saudi portfolio and is testament to our two decades of experience in developing utility-scale renewable projects.”

Masdar’s latest win strengthens its position as one of the leading players in the Kingdom’s fast-growing clean energy sector. The company has now secured the largest capacity in SPPC’s competitive bidding process for three consecutive years, with major projects including the 1,100MW Al Henakiyah solar plant (set to start operations in 2026) and the 2,000MW Al Sadawi project (expected in 2027).

Established in 2006, Masdar is one of the world’s fastest-growing clean energy companies, with a global portfolio exceeding 51GW. It aims to expand that figure to 100GW by 2030. In Saudi Arabia, Masdar already operates the 300MW Jeddah Solar Power Plant and the 400MW Dumat Al Jandal Wind Farm — the Kingdom’s first wind project and the largest in the Middle East.