Saudi Generators Build Capacity Cushion Ahead Of SEC Split

23 Nov 2018 Issue: 61 / 47 By: David Knott

Saudi power generators have increased the gap between capacity and peak load. Given that ambitious planned solar and nuclear additions will be many years off, and SEC is preparing for break-up, this capacity cushion is likely to shrink in the coming years.

Saudi power generators are increasing the gap between capacity and peak demand. MEES estimates that total installed capacity has hit 91.3GW. This is a relatively modest 3% capacity increase from the 88.7GW end-2017 figure and comes as output ramps up at the 2.1GW Rabigh-2 CCGT plant and a 1.39GW plant at Waad Al-Shamal.

The Waad Al-Shamal plant combines a 1.34GW CCGT plant running on gas from Saudi Arabia’s first ever unconventional gas development near Turaif with 50MW of integrated solar capacity. The 55mn cfd of local unconventional gas output that currently supplies the plant is stated to rise to 190mn cfd “towards the end of 2018 to meet customers’ needs… to support Waad al-Shamal industrial projects and to offset the increase in liquid burning for electricity in the area,” Saudi Aramco says in the 21 November issue of its internal Arabian Sun magazine. (CONTINUED - 952 WORDS)