Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has awarded a SR264m ($70.4m) electricity contract to the local National Contracting Company (NCC) for the installation and connection of a 380kV underground cable in the central area of the kingdom.

In December last year, SEC awarded NCC a SR258.6m deal to build a 380kV overhead transmission line in the Duba al-Bida area in the western region of the kingdom. The contracts are part of SEC’s efforts to overhaul and expand the kingdom’s transmission and distribution networks.

Also in December last year, SEC awarded the local Saudi Services for Electro Mechanic Works a SR398.4m contract to reinforce a 380kV cable network in the city of Jeddah. In November, the state electricity firm awarded Italy’s CESI a contract to develop a high-voltage district current (HVDC) link between Saudi Arabia’s Central and Western regions.

CESI will assist the SEC in developing the HVDC between Riyadh and Mecca, which will cover the central and western regions of the kingdom. The 800-kilometre link will connect the Dharma and Bahra stations, boosting the generation capacity of local distribution networks, which frequently experience power disruptions.