Red Sea Global Begins Off Grid Utilities Operations at the Red Sea

The Red Sea destination in Tabuk has begun commercial operations of a fully off-grid utilities system powered entirely by renewable energy, with the project operating independently from Saudi Arabia’s national electricity network.

Red Sea Global and ACWA Power confirmed the commercial operation date, triggering a 25-year concession period for the integrated system. It currently supplies hotels at The Red Sea, Red Sea International Airport, a logistics hub, electric vehicle fleets, a staff village and other operational facilities.

Power comes from a 340 MWac solar photovoltaic plant paired with 1,227 MWh of battery storage, allowing renewable electricity generated during the day to continue supplying the destination after sunset. The system can generate up to 760,000 MWh annually and is expected to avoid around 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The platform combines five core services: renewable energy, potable water, wastewater treatment, district cooling and waste management. Water infrastructure includes three seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants, while a sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 16,000 cubic metres per day supplies treated wastewater for irrigation and environmental projects.

That treated water is being used for initiatives including wetland creation, Red Sea Global’s landscape nursery and landscaping around the Shura Links golf course.

The utilities are delivered through Marafiq Red Sea for Energy Co., established by ACWA Power with SPIC Huanghe Hydropower and Saudi Tabreed, alongside Red Sea Utilities Company, a Red Sea Global subsidiary. The system has also been designed to expand as later phases of the destination come online.