SEC appoints US contractor to boost Qassim power plant capacity

Saudi Electricity Co. (SEC), the Gulf's largest utility provider, has awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) deal to US-based contractor Black & Veatch, which will manage the conversion process at the Qassim II and III power plant to boost capacity by 360 megawatts (MW).

The deal comes as the demand for power continues to rise in the kingdom and the wider GCC region. 

The project will convert 12 oil-fired simple cycle combustion turbines to combined cycle operation, Black & Veatch said in a statement.

Black & Veatch said the project’s implementation will reduce SEC’s need to use more fuel.

The U.S. firm is a recognized in the area of power generation technology. It has worked on EPC projects in Saudi Arabia for more than 40 years.