Red Sea multi-utility microgrid enters full commercial operation

The Red Sea multi-utility project in Saudi Arabia has reached full commercial operation, establishing a large-scale, renewable-powered off-grid utility system. Designed to support a tourism destination on the country’s western coast, the microgrid operates independently of the national transmission network.

The project includes 358 MWac of installed solar PV capacity and 1,225.4 MWh of battery energy storage, supported by 112.5 MW of backup internal-combustion generation. The system provides electricity for tourism facilities, desalination, cooling, and water treatment infrastructure.

Developed for Red Sea Global, the project was executed by SEPCOIII, a subsidiary of PowerChina, under an EPC contract signed with ACWA Power in 2021. Huawei supplied the PV inverters and the battery storage system. Because the network is isolated, the grid-forming battery storage is critical for maintaining voltage and frequency while balancing variable solar generation with demand.