Engineering & MEP Delivery
King Abdulaziz International Airport Power Facility
Leading end-to-end MEP delivery of an emergency power-generation facility designed to maintain critical airport operations during a grid-supply interruption.
- Role
- MEP Project Manager
- Facility capacity
- 70.4 MW
- Equipment
- 16 generators × 4.4 MW
- MEP scope
- Approx. SAR 45M
MEP scope value excludes the generators and major electrical equipment.
The Context
The new King Abdulaziz International Airport required a mission-critical emergency generation facility capable of supporting airport operations if the government electricity supply was interrupted.
The Challenge
When I assumed responsibility, the project had progressed primarily through civil foundations for the generator locations. The remaining MEP scope required detailed engineering coordination, international procurement, stringent material approvals, installation, testing, synchronization, commissioning and handover.
- Technically complex synchronization between the emergency generation system and the government electricity supply.
- Approximately 90% of specialist materials sourced internationally, primarily from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, creating long-lead procurement and delay exposure.
- Stakeholder coordination and approval complexity across a highly demanding technical and procedural environment appropriate to a mission-critical airport power facility.
Scale Perspective
At full output, 70.4 MW sustained for one year equals approximately 616.7 GWh — comparable to the annual electricity use of about 59,000 average U.S. homes.
Illustrative comparison only. This was an emergency power facility, not a continuously operated residential supply plant. Household estimate based on U.S. EIA 2024 average residential electricity use.
My Responsibility
Take full responsibility for delivery of the MEP scope, including planning, procurement, material submittals, technical discussions and approvals, coordination of central-office engineers, stakeholder management, installation, testing, commissioning and final handover.
The Approach
- Planned international procurement around long-lead items and critical-path requirements, with early follow-up on material availability and delivery exposure.
- Coordinated technical discussions and material submittals with Dar Al-Handasah in a highly controlled approval environment.
- Identified alternative materials that were technically compliant, available faster or locally, and commercially more efficient; secured consultant approval before substitution.
- Managed expectations across contractors, consultant, equipment partners, suppliers and internal engineering teams to establish trust, maintain buy-in and keep deliverables moving.
- Coordinated the installation, testing and synchronization requirements for a technically complex mission-critical power system.
Outcome
Completed, tested and synchronized with the government electricity supply.
Final testing was witnessed by Caterpillar international representatives from the United States.
Commercial Contribution
Approximately SAR 1M in sourcing savings.
Achieved by securing approval for technically compliant alternative materials that were more cost-effective than the initially specified options.
Follow-on Impact
Successful delivery contributed to the company being selected for two additional generator power-plant projects.
Key Stakeholders
- Saudi Binladin Group
- Dar Al-Handasah
- Zahid Tractor
- Caterpillar, United States
- International and local specialist suppliers
- Central engineering and site-delivery teams
What This Demonstrates
- End-to-end MEP project leadership
- Mission-critical systems delivery
- Technical stakeholder management
- International procurement and critical-path planning
- Value engineering with formal consultant approval
- Testing, synchronization, commissioning and handover