Electricity

The five-year development plans have targeted the electrification of the country as a top priority. The plans emphasize improving the efficiency, planning and conservation of electric power, and coordinating the electricity sector policy, particularly on pricing of electricity, with that for other sources of energy.

The Saudi Consolidated Electric Company (SCECO), reformed in 2000 as the Saudi Electric Company (SEC) with the merger of SCECO's regional organizations, helped to establish generating facilities, transmission and distribution systems and substations throughout the country. A long-term goal is to increase the capacity of steam stations and desalination plants to enable them to generate half of the electricity output. In July 2003, a new Water and Electricity company was set up, a partnership between the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), a government body, and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), which is semi-private.

With the rapid growth in population and industrialization, domestic electricity consumption has climbed steadily. In addition to establishing generation facilities, Saudi Arabia has built a massive electricity distribution network that extends to cities, towns and villages across the country.  This network is in process of becoming part of the wider network of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.