Saudi Arabia and Turkey sign electricity project cooperation deal in Antalya

The governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on electricity projects, coinciding with the participation of Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman and the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources at the 31st session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey.

The signing ceremony was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The memorandum was signed by Abdulaziz bin Salman for Saudi Arabia and Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar for Turkey.

This memorandum builds on the renewable energy cooperation agreement signed by both countries on February 3, 2026, which came into effect on October 21, 2026.

The agreement outlines the development of renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 5,000 megawatts, to be implemented in two phases by ACWA Power, the Saudi-designated investor.

The first phase covers projects with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts, while the second phase includes an additional 3,000 megawatts. Progress has been made on the first phase, and the second phase is advancing significantly.

The second phase will involve the development of wind power plants, supported by high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission infrastructure and battery energy storage systems.

These investments are expected to strengthen Turkey’s renewable energy capabilities, enhance the electricity grid infrastructure and its resilience, and deepen the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Turkey in energy and investment.