Canada’s WSP Group has been appointed by Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to conduct environmental and social impact studies on building a power plant at the Waad al-Shamal industrial development in northern Saudi Arabia.

The studies are being conducted in order to assess the impact of building a 1,000MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant at the Waad al-Shamal scheme, which is being developed by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden).

The facility will supply power to the industrial development, which has an estimated total value of $7bn. SEC is one of several major companies planning to provide infrastructure to support the Waad al-Shamal development.

Another assessment is currently being done by the US’ SunEdison on the feasibility of building a $6.4bn solar panel manufacturing complex at the industrial area. In February, Saudi Arabia’s Water & Electricity Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Petroleum & Mineral Resources Ministry and the local National Water Company (NWC) to provide water and treated sewage effluent to Maaden’s industrial development.

In July 2013, Maaden awarded South Korea’s Daelim Industrial the $824m contract to build an ammonia plant at the proposed $6.9bn phosphates city in Waad al-Shamal.