Saudi Arabia Speeds Up Solar and Desalination Projects

Saudi Arabia is accelerating a wave of utility-scale solar power and seawater desalination projects across its western and eastern regions, part of a long-term push toward energy sustainability and cleaner electricity generation aligned with رؤية السعودية 2030.

On the solar side, large plants are being developed mainly through the National Renewable Energy Program. Western-region projects include Shuaibah Solar in Makkah Province, alongside additional multi-hundred-megawatt plants such as Al Faisaliah Solar in the Makkah region and South Al Ula Solar in Madinah. Further gigawatt-scale capacity is under tender or qualification nationwide, including Tabarjal II in Al Jouf (1,400 MW), Mawqaq in Hail (600 MW), Tathleeth in Aseer (600 MW) and South Al Ula in Madinah (500 MW), with bid deadlines in 2026.

In eastern coastal areas, desalination systems are being expanded to boost water supply. These include phases 5 and 7 of the Jubail desalinated water production system, with a combined design capacity of about 1.6 million cubic metres and the Ras Al Khair expansion under phases 4 and 5, adding roughly 900,000 cubic metres The projects were inspected and overseen by the Saudi Water Authority in August 2026.

Both the solar and desalination projects follow independent power producer (IPP) and similar private-sector models, awarded through competitive tenders run under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and the Saudi Water Authority. Recent solar tenders have delivered some of the world's lowest electricity costs, with levelised prices reaching around 1.3 to 1.8 US cents roughly 0.41 to 0.67 ريال سعودي

The national renewable pipeline has exceeded 30 GW of awarded capacity by early 2026. Round 6 added about 3 GW of solar across four projects plus 1.5 GW of wind, while Round 7 targets 3.1 GW of solar and 2.2 GW of wind. For residents, the expansion means more reliable water supply and a cleaner, lower-cost electricity mix in the years ahead.

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