Saudi Electricity Company is planning to launch three power plant expansion projects in 2010, according to the utility’s 2010 Capital Projects Plan, released earlier this month.

Together, the three projects will add 290MW of power generating capacity.

The first project covers the 110MW first phase expansion of the Hail power plant in the north. Saudi Electricity is also planning a 120MW extension of the Tabuk plant in the west of the kingdom and will add 60MW of new capacity at the Rafha plant in the east.

In addition to its own capital investments, Saudi Electricity is pushing ahead with a number of private power projects. It is evaluating bids for the Riyadh PP11 independent power project (IPP) and plans to launch its next IPP at Qurayyah in the first half of 2010.