ACWA Power and Bapco Energies have signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to build a large-scale solar power plant with battery energy storage in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. With a planned capacity of up to 2.8 GW, the project will be developed in multiple phases. Once operational, all electricity generated will be transmitted to Bahrain—primarily to Bapco Energies’ load centers—effectively enabling Bahrain to import clean energy from Saudi Arabia.
The agreement was formally announced during the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council meeting in December 2025.
Strategic Importance
The project represents a significant milestone in Bahrain’s clean-energy transition through Bapco Energies. It supports Bahrain’s national energy strategy, which seeks to diversify the energy mix, improve supply security, and cut emissions as part of its broader net-zero ambitions under the Economic Vision 2030 and the National Energy Strategy.
For Saudi Arabia and ACWA Power, the initiative reinforces the Kingdom’s ambition to become a regional renewable-energy export hub. By generating power in Saudi Arabia and exporting it to Bahrain, the project strengthens regional cooperation and leverages Saudi Arabia’s solar potential beyond domestic demand.
ACWA Power’s Existing Portfolio and Renewables Expansion
The 2.8-GW initiative adds to ACWA Power’s rapidly expanding clean-energy portfolio. In August 2025, the company commissioned three major solar facilities—Al Kahfah, Al-Rass 2, and SAAD 2—adding a combined 2.79 GW of capacity in Saudi Arabia. ACWA Power remains a central player in the Kingdom’s national renewables programme, which aims to deploy tens of gigawatts across solar and wind.
The cross-border solar-plus-storage project marks an evolution toward more integrated clean-energy systems that combine large-scale generation, battery storage, and international power transfer. It strengthens the region’s energy security while advancing wider decarbonization goals.
Technical specifications such as the battery system’s size or duration, project site, timeline, capital cost, and transmission method have not yet been disclosed.
Implications
This cross-border clean-energy initiative could serve as a model for future regional cooperation among Gulf countries. Pairing solar power with utility-scale battery storage enhances supply reliability and grid stability, addressing intermittency concerns.
At 2.8 GW, the project stands among the world’s largest solar developments, underscoring how the Gulf region is moving beyond standalone solar farms toward integrated and interconnected clean-energy systems.
According to ACWA Power’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director, the agreement reflects strong bilateral ties between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and a shared commitment to a sustainable and secure energy future. Bapco Energies’ CEO described the project as an important milestone in Bahrain’s energy-transition journey, offering long-term energy security and unlocking new renewable-energy potential for the kingdom.
