On May 27, 2026, the 2.5 GW energy storage project for Phase III of the Saudi SEC, supplied by NARI Relay Protection, successfully completed all grid-connected charging and discharging operations, marking the official commissioning of what is currently the world’s largest grid-side grid-forming energy storage cluster project.
The project will impact the power grids of five key regions in Saudi Arabia—Riyadh, Rabigh, Dawadmi, Jouf, and Qassim—and is currently the world’s largest grid-side grid-forming energy storage cluster. It comprises over 2,000 PCS units and features grid-forming functions such as power regulation, primary frequency control, dynamic voltage control, black start capability, and adaptive grid-following capabilities. Once operational, the project will effectively enhance the Saudi power grid’s regulation and renewable energy integration capabilities, alleviate local power supply shortages, and ensure stable grid operation. It also aligns precisely with Saudi Arabia’s energy upgrade strategy, strongly supports the implementation of the “Vision 2030,” and helps the country build a new power system.
The project owner, SEC, set extremely high standards for project delivery, with less than four months from project initiation to production handover. NARI Protection & Automation completed the design and submission of the complete set of drawings in just one week and successfully shipped the first batch of integrated energy storage and step-up units within 53 days. The on-site team overcame harsh environmental conditions—including high temperatures, aridity, and sandstorms—and adhered to the strict requirements of the Saudi power grid regarding specifications, testing, and acceptance. By seizing key construction milestones, they successfully achieved full grid connection of the project before the peak summer electricity demand period in Saudi Arabia.
The implementation of this cross-border energy storage project involved simultaneous construction across five major regions in Saudi Arabia. With a short commissioning cycle, high coordination complexity, and stringent construction standards, the project placed extremely high demands on equipment quality, construction precision, and on-site service capabilities. The project team planned and coordinated in advance, refined the end-to-end construction and testing plans, strictly adhered to local acceptance standards, and efficiently completed on-site commissioning and acceptance work. This ensured the project was connected to the grid and put into operation on schedule, demonstrating NARI Protection & Automation’s high-level delivery capabilities as a leading global provider of energy storage product solutions.
As a global leader in grid-forming energy storage technology, NARI Protection has pioneered the forward-looking concept of “creating an ideal synchronous power source based on energy storage.” The company has launched the “NR-ISGrid” series of solutions, which includes a range of products such as grid-forming energy storage, grid-forming flexible DC, grid-forming SVG, and static synchronous phase-shifting units, continuously driving industry development with its core technologies. The successful grid connection of the 2.5 GW SEC energy storage project in Saudi Arabia marks another successful practice by NARI Protection & Automation in supporting the transition from traditional power systems to new power systems through grid-forming energy storage. NARI Protection & Automation will continue to uphold its corporate mission of “Creating Value, Serving Society,” contributing Chinese strength to the safe and stable operation of power systems and the construction of new power systems.
