State-led generator and grid operator Saudi Electricity (SEC) increased its own generating capacity by 0.7% in 2019 to 53.90GW, as the kingdom’s overall capacity rose 3.9% to 88.9GW. Absent the shutdown of older plants, a host of new SEC plants and independent power producer (IPP) projects under development could take total Saudi capacity close to 100GW by end-2022 (see chart 1).
Altogether, the projects under development could take capacity to 98.2GW, some 37% above recent annual peak load. Peak load averaged 61.8GW over 2015-19, and the 2015 figure of 62.26GW remains the highwater-mark. (CONTINUED - 753 WORDS)
