Hitachi Energy has secured the lead role on the Yanbu–NEOM Industrial City (NIC) HVDC interconnection, a key infrastructure link for Saudi Arabia’s NEOM giga‑project. The project, based on HVDC Light® technology and rated at ±525 kV, is one of the world’s first systems to achieve 3 GW of transmission capacity at this voltage level, spanning more than 650 km between the industrial hub of Oxagon and the Yanbu region.
The link will use two converter stations in a bipole configuration, with each station comprising two asymmetrical monopoles that interface with existing 380 kV AC grids. Hitachi Energy will supply the HVDC Light® converter stations, including design, engineering, procurement and commissioning, as part of a broader regional network intended to underpin NEOM’s goal of a 100% renewable‑powered energy system.
The Yanbu–NIC link is the first of up to three HVDC corridors that will provide up to 9 GW of transmission capacity for NEOM, integrating remote solar, wind and green‑hydrogen generation with industrial and urban loads. Commissioning of the 3 GW connection is targeted for 2027, positioning it as a benchmark for ultra‑high‑capacity, high‑voltage DC transmission in large‑scale clean‑energy developments.
