A team comprising the local National Contracting Company (NCC)and Germany's Siemens has been awarded two contracts, totalling an estimated $180 million, to expand the Asir and the Bisha stations.

At Asir, one Siemens V84.2 turbine will be added, while at Bisha two turbines of the same type will be installed.

The contract also contains an option for an additional turbine to be installed at each plant. The first units are due to come on stream within 17 months, with the second unit at Bisha due to be operational after 26 months. The turbines will generate at least 65 MW each of electricity. It is the first time that Siemens' V84.2 turbine will be installed in a power station in Saudi Arabia.

The local Al-Toukhi Contractinghas been awarded the estimated $115 million contract to expand the Jizan plant through the installation of three GEFrame 7 turbines, with the option to add an additional unit. The project will produce at least 200 MW of new capacity, with the first unit due in 17 months.

SEC selected the companies based on their offer price in Saudi riyals per MW.

The projects are part of a multi-billion dollar programme planned by SEC aimed at expanding the kingdom's existing power generation capacity by more than 20,000 MW by 2017.