Cross-border solar buildout coming to the Eastern Province: Acwa Power and Bahrain’s Bapco Energies signed a joint development agreement to build a multi-phase solar power project in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province with a capacity of up to 2.8 GW, according to a press release. The facility will be paired with large-scale battery storage. No financial details or timeline were disclosed.

All project output will be transmitted to Bapco Energies’ load center in Bahrain, making the development a cross-border supply arrangement from day one.

The project lands as the GCC Interconnection Authority pushes more than USD 3.5 bn over the next decade to strengthen its regional interconnection power grid, boost its capacity to integrate renewables, and export electricity to neighboring countries.

Other green regional expansions: Acwa signed an agreement with the Syrian Energy Ministry in August to conduct studies for up to 1 GW of solar and storage projects and 1.5 GW of wind projects. Acwa’s consortium is among the shortlisted bidders to develop a 500 MW solar plant in Kuwait.

Background: Acwa reached financial close late last month on five solar plants and two wind farms, all located across the Kingdom, valued at a total of SAR 22.3 bn. Acwa also inked USD 10 bn agreements at FII9, locking in financing, renewable energy, storage, and technology collaboration pacts across the GCC, Central Asia, Africa, and China.

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