Saudi-based engineering and construction firm PACOST International has secured a contract from the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to build the Al Nahdah 115/13.8kV substation in Dammam, as the Kingdom accelerates infrastructure upgrades under its national grid reinforcement programme.
The substation project, awarded under the Network Reinforcement Program for Big Cities, is intended to support growing electricity demand and enhance supply reliability in the Eastern Province. It is one of several projects linked to Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation strategy, which includes large-scale investment in utility infrastructure.
Under the agreement, PACOST will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, testing, and commissioning of the substation. The contract includes delivery of all key equipment and materials.
The announcement is a major milestone for PACOST International, a privately owned EPC firm founded in 2010 by Eng. Othman Rashid Al-Othman, as it continues to expand its footprint in Saudi Arabia’s fast-evolving power sector.
With headquarters in Khobar and operations in Riyadh, the company offers integrated solutions across power automation, substations, transmission and distribution lines, and electrical protection systems.
The company, which employs 350 staff and is ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified, has delivered several high-profile projects including the Qiran Housing 132/13.8kV substationand Munisyah 132kV GIS expansion, both in the Riyadh region.
It is also executing the 115/13.8kV substation for the Dammam Stadium, in partnership with ROSHEN and Saudi Aramco, another indicator of its rising prominence in the Kingdom’s infrastructure sector.
In a recent interview, Business Development Manager Nasser Alshahrani said the company’s growth strategy is centred on technical excellence, local talent development, and alignment with national industrial goals. “We aim to lead the electrical substation sector by delivering high-impact, customised solutions that meet the evolving demands of clients in power, oil, gas and petrochemicals,” he said.
PACOST is also actively contributing to local content goals under the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (iktva) programme, achieving a 27% growth rate in locally sourced electrical materials, including transformers, switchgears, and breakers.
The company’s current and future activities are closely tied to Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a global energy and manufacturing hub, with PACOST positioning itself as a key domestic player in the engineering, procurement, and commissioning of energy infrastructure.
