NREP Round 7 in Saudi Arabia: A High-impact Look Inside the 2026 Renewable Auction Pipeline

Within this context, Saudi Arabia’s NREP Round 7 is positioned as the seventh procurement phase, launched through an SPPC request for qualifications (RFQ). The Round 7 tender totals 5.3 GW of new renewable capacity, combining 3.1 GW of solar PV and 2.2 GW of wind, structured as four solar projects and two wind projects. For readers searching the topic “nrep round 7 saudi arabia,” the practical takeaway is that Round 7 packages both technologies at scale in a single step, using the RFQ as the first gate for developers who want to compete in later stages. Reporting also notes SPPC did not disclose RFQ submission deadlines or power purchase agreement details in its announcement, while another source pointed to successful participants expected by September 29, 2025.

Round 7 Project Map: 3.1 GW Solar PV and 2.2 GW Wind

The solar portion of Round 7 spans multiple regions and concentrates on utility-scale sites. The four PV projects listed are Tabarjal II in Al Jouf at 1,400 MW, Mawqaq in Hail at 600 MW, Tathleeth in Aseer at 600 MW, and South Al Ula in the Madinah region at 500 MW, together matching the 3.1 GW solar allocation. The wind pillar is defined by two projects in the Madinah region: the 1,300 MW Bilghah wind project and the 900 MW Shagran wind project, totaling 2.2 GW. Across the full 5.3 GW, the mix signals both geographic distribution and technology diversification, with SPPC describing the additions as a way to diversify the renewable portfolio and reduce reliance on liquid fuels in the power generation sector.

Round 7 also needs to be read as one segment of a larger 2026 award pipeline. Multiple sources state Saudi Arabia plans to award approximately 14 GW of new renewable energy projects in 2026 under NREP, primarily through solar and wind tenders managed by SPPC, and through Round 7 tenders and parallel procurement tracks. In parallel, SPPC has provided program-level pipeline metrics in updates: it has launched tenders for more than 43 GW of renewable capacity to date, with power purchase agreements signed for over 38 GW; another update specifies 38.7 GW signed out of 43.2 GW launched. Grid progress is also quantified in one update as 10.2 GW already connected, projected to rise to 12.7 GW by the end of 2025.

These rounds operate inside a broader allocation model for the 2030 build-out. One source states the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is mandated to develop 70% of renewable capacity through ACWA Power and Badeel, while the remaining 30% is allocated to NREP operated by REPDO and SPPC using international competitive tenders. The NREP pathway has a track record: by January 2026, it had run six completed auction rounds awarding cumulative capacity in excess of 30 GW, with Round 6 alone awarding 4.5 GW across five projects in October 2025. At the same time, a March 2026 assessment cited in one analysis projects Saudi renewable capacity at 74.2 GW by 2030, underscoring the ongoing debate between headline ambition and delivery pace.