[ The 380㎸ Transmission Line Construction Project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, carried out by Hyundai E&C. ]
Hyundai E&C has won Saudi’s High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Line project, further solidifying the its position in the key overseas construction market of Saudi Arabia.
Hyundai E&C announced on July 31 (local time) that it has signed a $145 million contract for the ‘Saudi’s Neom-Yanbu 525㎸ High-Voltage Direct Current(HVDC) Transmission Line Construction Project’ ordered by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC-COA).
The Saudi Neom-Yanbu 525kV HVDC Transmission Line Construction Project aims to expand Saudi’s power grid by building a 605km-long HVDC transmission line from the Yanbu region, a major power production hub on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, to the new city of Neom. As part of the project, Hyundai E&C will implement the portion 1 involving the construction of 207 kilometers of transmission lines and 450 transmission towers, which is slated for completion in July 2027.
The HVDC transmission is a technology that converts alternating current (AC) power generated by a power plant into high-voltage direct current and transmits it to the destination. Compared to AC transmission, HVDC has less energy loss during the long-distance transmission and is compatible with AC systems regardless of frequency, making it excellent in terms of stability and efficiency. It is especially useful for the transmission of renewable energy such as solar and offshore wind power, gaining traction as a next-generation transmission technology.
Hyundai E&C, which has successfully executed a number of power grid projects ordered by SEC-COA and established a strong relationship of trust, won the project as a turnkey contract for the entire process of design, procurement, and construction, thus reaffirming its excellence in world-class technology and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) capabilities.
Since its first transmission line project in Saudi Arabia in 1976, Hyundai E&C has successfully completed a total of 33 transmission line projects over the past 50 years. Including the current projects, such as the Hail-Al-Jouf 380㎸ transmission line, Hyundai E&C-built power grid in Saudi Arabia totals more than 20,000 kilometers, or half the length of the Earth. Following the construction of the 500㎸ HVDC transmission line - the first high-voltage direct current transmission line in Saudi Arabia - Hyundai E&C is leading the expansion of the country's power grid with the latest 525㎸ HDVC line construction project.
In addition, Hyundai E&C has been very active in the Saudi power transmission and distribution sector, having completed the new Jubail 380㎸ substation, the single largest high-voltage substation in Saudi Arabia (2019), and executed about 70 projects, including the Rafha Substation and the Shoaiba Substation expansion project.
“Since first entering the Saudi construction market in 1975, Hyundai E&C has reliably executed 16 large-scale projects, including the Amiral Project and the Neom Running Tunnel, on the back of Saudi government’s and the clients’ trust,” said an official from Hyundai E&C. "We will contribute to the expansion of the Saudi power grid by successfully delivering the project for building HVDC transmission line, which is gaining attention as the core of the renewable energy grid industry, and further expand our presence in the field of net-zero power infrastructure."