Saudi Energy signed three strategic agreements at LEAP 2026 aimed at strengthening the power and digital infrastructure that supports data and artificial intelligence centers across the Kingdom, as demand for electricity to run advanced computing facilities continues to rise.
The first agreement, between National Grid SA and HUMAIN, covers the supply of electricity to an AI data centers project in Riyadh's S'ad district. It addresses the delivery of electrical service, readiness of power infrastructure, and the ability to scale up for future energy needs, with capacity structured around high-load AI operations reported at around 100 MW phases for related HUMAIN projects.
The second is a framework agreement between the Saudi Electricity Project Development Company (PDC) and center3 to build a strategic partnership for future data center projects and energy infrastructure nationwide. It includes early power feasibility studies, substation design, and regulatory preparation for hyperscale data centers. The third agreement is a memorandum of understanding between PDC and Huawei to cooperate on data center and digital infrastructure projects and related power solutions, including sharing engineering and technical expertise.
Why it matters
The three agreements are described as enabling, framework instruments that are generally non-binding on specific project execution or tariffs. They focus on planning, design, engineering, project management, and regulatory readiness rather than immediate commercial charges.
As of 2026, Saudi Arabia reports about 467 MW of operational data center capacity, alongside several planned hyperscale AI campuses. HUMAIN is targeting up to 6.6 GW of data center capacity by 2034 and cites access to about 14 GW of power. Complementary projects include a Tier III data center supported by the Ministry of Investment and the Shareek Program Center, as well as DataVolt–NEOM net-zero AI centers and a roughly 100 MW first phase at Oxagon on the Red Sea coast. Together, these efforts underline the need for expanded grid and substation capacity to power the Kingdom's growing digital economy.
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