Following the recent turnkey metro project in Riyadh and the supply of steam turbine generators for Shuqaiq power plant, the Group continues to expand its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by producing and installing major equipment for the Saudi power grid, through its sustained relationship with Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabia’s electricity utility.

Between July and November 2013, SEC has awarded Alstom Grid a total of nine contracts worth around 130 million euros. Saudi Arabia’s electricity demand is currently rising at 8% per year, with extensive plans for industrial development by 2022, with six new major cities being built across the Kingdom. This electricity demand is expected to reach 70 GW by 2020, against a current national generation capacity of 40 GW today. Alstom Grid, as leader in power transmission and grid development, is supporting the energy boom in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The nine contracts include:

• The turnkey installation of six new 110 kV gas-insulated substations; four in Jeddah and two in Madinah.
• The turnkey supply of a Static VAr Compensator designed to improve power stability for Quwayyah 132 kV substation (200km west of Riyadh).
• The supply of four auto-transformers (500 MVA / 380 kV) for the substation of Ashbliyah, including erection and commissioning, via the Al-Thouki contracting company.
• The installation of three complete automation and protection systems for three 380 kV substations in the central region, including engineering, panels integration, commissioning and project management, together with training of National Grid engineers.
• The supply and installation of a new iDMS control centre to manage the City of Madina’s electricity distribution network, including a fibre-optic telecom system, civil works modifications, and adaptation of the city’s distribution substation.
• The supply and installation of a turnkey telecom system to connect the Al Mashaaer 380 kV substation to SEC’s telecoms network.

Stephane Cai, Alstom Grid Vice-President for the Near Middle East Region commented: “Alstom has been present in Saudi Arabia for over 50 years and we’re very proud that over 20% of the Kingdom’s power is generated by Alstom equipment. This relationship is going one step further as we work hand in hand with SEC in their expansion of the national Saudi Grid”.

Alstom Grid has been present in Saudi Arabia for more than three decades, with the first electrical substations delivered by Alstom in the Hail region in the 1980s. Alstom also supplied the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) project, the Gulf’s first energy highway connecting the power grids of six Gulf member states through a 1.2 GW high-performance High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connection.

Source: Alstom