Standing on the "Vision Platform" of the Al Shubakah Photovoltaic Power Station project in Saudi Arabia, one is greeted by rugged hills behind and an endless expanse of photovoltaic panels ahead, resembling a vast blue ocean. In the distance, hundreds of transmission towers appear and disappear like a pine forest in the early morning mist. "From this slope, we have a perfect overview of the photovoltaic power station. Under the '2030 Vision', Saudi Arabia is fully committed to economic diversification and energy transformation. We named this place Vision Platform to symbolize the integration of the 'Belt and Road' initiative with Saudi Arabia's development strategy, turning our shared vision for joint development into reality," said Xiong Gaoxia, Deputy General Manager and Project Manager of Al Shubakah Power Station from China Energy Engineering Corporation International.
The Al Shubakah Power Station project is located in the desert about 80 kilometers south of Jeddah in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia. It is jointly undertaken by China Energy Engineering Corporation International Group, Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute, and Northwest Electric Power Design Institute. The project uses the most advanced N-type bifacial photovoltaic modules and single-axis automatic tracking brackets. It is the largest single photovoltaic power station project under construction globally, with a total installed capacity of approximately 2.6 gigawatts. The project includes photovoltaic power generation facilities, booster stations, control centers, overhead lines, and supporting ancillary projects. Once completed, it is expected to generate a total of approximately 282.2 billion kilowatt-hours over 35 years, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 245 million tons.
The project covers an area of nearly 53 square kilometers. Driving through the site, one can quickly lose their sense of direction. "First take Riyadh Road, then onto Beijing Road, and then turn right onto Jeddah West Road," Xiong Gaoxia explained. The project has named roads after the cities where each participating party is based for easy memory and rapid location of work areas, reflecting the global participation in the project.
With over 810,000 pile foundations and more than 5 million photovoltaic panels-a set of numbers that gives a sense of the scale of the power station-"Our project can be seen from satellite images." Opening the satellite view on a mobile phone reveals a dense array of Tetris-like blocks within a right-angled trapezoidal area; darker areas indicate where photovoltaic panels have been fully installed, while lighter areas await installation.
At the time of this interview, phase one of the project was undergoing reverse power testing-sending electricity from the grid system to the power station. Inside the control room, staff were busily adjusting computer systems. Xue Yongfeng, Deputy Manager and Chief Engineer of the project explained that there are multiple demands for accepting power from the system; most crucially, before generating power from photovoltaic panels, it is necessary to test the reliability of all plant equipment operation. The imminent reverse power testing signifies substantial construction progress; it means that conditions are set for subsequent debugging and external power transmission, with official grid-connected power generation counting down.
"According to the plan, on July 31st this year, the first phase of 600MW will be grid-connected for power generation. Currently, it looks like we will achieve this target ahead of schedule. Next, we have several key milestones to complete. By November 30th, 2025, the project will be fully completed."
Outside the project office stands a row of simple sheds topped with colorful flags. The sheds are divided into many small compartments representing different construction scenarios; inside are rubber dummies in twisted poses with gruesome faces: some impaled by steel bars, others with bloody heads or missing limbs… "This is our safety education corridor," said Zeng Zichang, Deputy Manager and Site Manager of the project. "Different participating enterprises create simulated scenarios based on common safety risks associated with different types of work-using local resources as teaching tools to remind employees to remember safe production." At its peak, seven thousand people were working on-site simultaneously. The project has normalized safety education management: no work commences without adequate on-site welfare facilities; personnel and equipment are not allowed on-site without approval; no operations are permitted without issued work permits.
On another side of the shed lies an enclosed safety production simulation area with various equipment on display. "We specially shipped these safety education devices from China so that employees can experience firsthand safe production techniques-such as how steel cables should be tied up when working at heights; five-point safety ropes must be worn; scaffolding must have foot guards installed," explained Xiong Gaoxia.
