Saudi Arabia’s 400MW wind farm connected to the grid

The Dumat Al Jandal project, consisting of 99 wind turbines, is Saudi Arabia’s first wind farm and the largest in the Middle East

Dumat Al Jandal, the Middle East’s largest wind farm and the first in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is now connected to the grid and has produced its first carbon-free megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy.

The 400-megawatt (MW) utility-scale wind power project is being developed by a consortium led by EDF Renewables and Masdar, two of the world’s leading renewable energy companies.

The wind farm consists of 99 wind turbines from supplier and EPC contractor Vestas, each with a power output of 4.2 MW. Construction began in September 2019, and the wind turbine erection works are near completion.

When complete, the wind farm will generate carbon-free energy, powering up to 70,000 Saudi households, while saving 988,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in support of the Kingdom’s climate change mitigation goals.

“We are now looking forward to successfully reaching the full commissioning of the project in the months to come,” said Olivier Marchand, Project Director of Dumat Al Jandal Wind Co for Energy LLC.

Marchand said the successful execution of the project was supported by Saudi Arabia Ministry of Energy, Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPCC) and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC).

“The successful connection of the project to the electricity transmission grid marks an important milestone for this landmark project in the Kingdom,” said Osama Al Othman, Country Representative, Saudi Arabia, Masdar.

He noted that as a leader in the development of wind power, Masdar was committed to advancing clean technology across the region and that it will continue its efforts to support the country’s ambitious energy program.