Electricity Ministry in talks with companies to develop 1800 MW of wind farms

The Electricity Ministry is working out agreements with local and foreign private sector companies to develop wind farms with a combined capacity of 1800 MW, sources told Al Mal. The farms are expected to cost up to EUR 2 bn and will be constructed under a build-own-operate framework (BOO). The projects include a 600 MW plant constructed by Elsewedy Electric under an independent power producer (IPP) framework, two 120 MW plants by Spain’s Gamesa and an unnamed Saudi company, and a 500 MW plant by an unnamed European company. The ministry is also looking at other local and international companies to establish plants with the remaining capacity of 460 MW. The ministry is discussing the details of the power purchase agreements for the projects, according to the sources.