The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has signed a loan agreement for SR3.5bn (US$934mn), an addition to the previous loan signed with several Saudi banks for SR6bn in May 2004. The loans are to cover the company’s financing of capital projects.

The banks that provided the loan are: Banque Saudi Fransi, Samba Financial Group, National Commercial Bank, Arab National Bank, Gulf International Bank, Saudi Hollandi Bank, Saudi British Bank, Bahrain Arabian Bank, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait and Bahrain National Bank.

SEC has just signed two contracts with Saudi Electric and Mechanical Services Company for a total of SR737mn to establish a third connecting line with a power of 380kV at a length of 414km between the Eastern Province and Central Province. The new line is to meet the increasing demand on electricity in the Eastern Province by providing 1200MW extra capacity in the connecting lines between the two provinces.

The project consists of two parts: the first includes establishing a double circular line with 380kV power from Al-Fadhli Central Station near Jubail industrial area to a future transfer station near Shamlool village. The second part includes establishing a double circular line with 380kV power from the future transfer station to Sudair Central Station. This project will take 29 months to complete and it will reinforce the electricity connection capacity between the Eastern and Central Province to reach around 4000MW.