Saudi Energy announced the successful execution of its operational plan for the Hajj 1447 AH season, achieving record electrical loads at the holy sites while maintaining exceptional reliability and operational efficiency.
The accomplishment was carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and in coordination with the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority, underscoring the kingdom’s commitment to ensuring an uninterrupted power supply during the pilgrimage.
The ministry noted the energy ecosystem saw peak electricity loads during the Hajj season across the holy sites. Saudi Energy recorded peak electricity demand of 464 megawatts in Arafat, up 8 percent from the previous Hajj season, while peak demand in Mina rose 5 percent to 375 megawatts.
According to the statement, the electricity system completed the Hajj season without any power outages or breaches of the grid’s safe operating limits, supported by early planning, coordination among government entities and service providers, and investments in smart-grid infrastructure. The advanced system enabled real-time grid monitoring and proactive analysis of operational indicators using artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, the holy sites’ electricity grid was further expanded through the commissioning of the Mina 7 substation and its connection to the power grid, with a capacity of 121 MW, building on five substations completed during last year’s Hajj season.
This achievement builds on the early preparations by Saudi Energy ahead of the Hajj season, which included deploying a smart, fully automated electricity system at the holy sites, enhanced with artificial intelligence technologies and proactive fault-detection capabilities.
These efforts enhanced the efficiency of electrical load management and enabled proactive handling of operational indicators during the peak season, as per the statement.
