Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has received six bids to convert PP10, a 3,400MW simple cycle power plant near Riyadh, to a combined cycle facility. The expansion will add 1,300MW capacity.

The following companies submitted bids:

• Arabian Bemco (Saudi Arabia) – $1.434bn
• Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain) – $1.484bn
• Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea) – $1.485bn
• Marubeni (Japan) and Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea) – $1.648bn
• Black & Veatch (US) and National Contracting Company (Saudi Arabia) – $1.998bn
• Doosan Heavy Industries (South Korea) – $2.592bn

The expansion will comprise 10 steam turbine generators, 40 heat-recovery steam generators and 10 air-cooled condensers.

The winning bidder will convert the project on a build, own and operate (BOO) basis at the site located 80 kilometres west of Riyadh.

The original simple cycle gas-fired power plant was constructed by Arabian Bemco and is in the final stages of completion. In January 2011, SEC awarded the local contractor contracts to extend the PP10 and Qurayyah power plants in the kingdom (MEED 20:1:11).