Saudi Arabia and Egypt sign $1.8bn contract for electrical connection

(Shutterstock)
Short Url
Updated 06 October 2021
Follow

Saudi Arabia and Egypt sign $1.8bn contract for electrical connection

  • Work on the electricity venture of the two countries is expected to begin in 2022

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Monday signed contracts for a $1.8 billion electricity interconnection project.

The project, to begin in 2022, will ensure an exchange of 3,000 MW of electricity between the two countries.

“Saudi Arabia and Egypt share the same goals, and we work together as a team to implement them,” said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who oversaw the signing ceremony.

“The electrical interconnection will enable us to move to greater horizons, which is global connectivity with other countries in Europe and elsewhere,” he said.

The Saudi minister said the project is consistent with the development programs envisaged in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.

Egyptian Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker said: “The project is a corridor for the transit of electricity to reach the continent of Asia.”

The Egyptian side will bear 40-45 percent of the project value, and part of the funding will come through Arab institutions.

In a statement, the Saudi Electricity Co. said that the project included contracts with three alliances of international and local firms.

The project will have a peak load of 3,000 MW with a 500 kV high-voltage direct current technology, consisting of three high-voltage power stations in East Madinah and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, and one in Badr, East Cairo, Egypt.

The utility provider said that the three stations will be connected by overhead transmission lines, stretching nearly 1,350 km and 22 km sea cables in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed a cooperation agreement in 2012 to establish the electrical interconnection project. 

The project will be the main axis in the Arab electrical linkage, which aims to create an infrastructure for electricity trade between Arab countries.


New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

Updated 28 January 2026
Follow

New Murabba seeks contractors for Mukaab Towers fit-outs: MEED

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba Development Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has issued a request for information to gauge the market for modular and offsite fit-out solutions for its flagship Mukaab development, MEED reported on Wednesday.

The RFI was released on Jan. 26, with submissions due by Feb. 11. NMDC has also scheduled a market engagement meeting during the first week of February to discuss potential solutions with prospective contractors.

Sources close to the project told MEED that NMDC is “seeking experienced suppliers and contractors to advise on the feasibility, constraints, and execution strategy for using non-load-bearing modular systems for the four corner towers framing the Mukaab structure.” The feedback gathered from these discussions will be incorporated into later design and procurement decisions.

The four towers — two residential (North and South) and two mixed-use (East and West) — are integral to the Mukaab’s architectural layout. Each tower is expected to rise approximately 375 meters and span over 80 stories. Key modular elements under consideration include bathroom pods, kitchen pods, dressing room modules, panelized steel partition systems, and other offsite-manufactured fit-out solutions.

Early works on the Mukaab were completed last year, with NMDC preparing to award the estimated $1 billion contract for the main raft works. This was highlighted in a presentation by NMDC’s chief project delivery officer on Sept. 9, 2025, during the Future Projects Forum in Riyadh.

Earlier this month, US-based Parsons Corp. was awarded a contract by NMDC to provide design and construction technical support. Parsons will act as the lead design consultant for infrastructure, delivering services covering public buildings, infrastructure, landscaping, and the public realm at New Murabba. The firm will also support the development of the project’s downtown experience, which spans 14 million sq. meters of residential, workplace, and entertainment space.

The Parsons contract follows NMDC’s October 2025 agreements with three other US-based engineering firms for design work across the development. New York-headquartered Kohn Pedersen Fox was appointed to lead early design for the first residential community, while Aecom and Jacobs were selected as lead design consultants for the Mukaab district.

In August 2025, NMDC signed a memorandum of understanding with Falcons Creative Group, another US-based firm, to develop the creative vision and immersive experiences for the Mukaab project. Meanwhile, Beijing-based China Harbour Engineering Co. completed the excavation works for the Mukaab, and UAE-headquartered HSSG Foundation Contracting executed the foundation works.