Expo 2030 Riyadh will be one of the largest World Expo developments ever planned.

The site will cover approximately 6 million square metres, host more than 230 pavilions and is expected to receive more than 42 million visits.

But before the pavilions, transport systems and public spaces can operate, another project has to be completed behind the scenes:

A permanent power system with approximately 400 MW of connection capacity.

A 400 MW System Is More Than One Big Transformer

Expo 2030 Riyadh’s planned power infrastructure includes a dedicated 380/132 kV bulk supply point, three 132/13.8 kV primary substations and the associated transmission and distribution network.

Alfanar Projects has already announced a contract worth more than SAR 122 million to construct one of the 132/13.8 kV substations serving the Expo development.

The important point is that 400 MW at the grid connection is only useful if every downstream stage can safely transmit, transform, protect and distribute that power.

Expo 2030 Riyadh’s 400 MW connection depends on a complete chain of transmission, transformation and distribution infrastructure.

Why Must the Power System Be Ready in 2029?

Expo 2030 Riyadh will not open until October 2030, but the permanent electrical connection is targeted for completion by Q1 2029.

That timing is not excessive. It reflects how major electrical infrastructure is actually delivered.

Substations and distribution networks require engineering studies, equipment procurement, civil works, installation, testing and commissioning before the final facilities begin normal operation.

The electrical network must also support building commissioning, cooling systems, lighting, communications, safety systems, EV charging and operational trials before millions of visitors arrive.

Expo organizers have already awarded utility packages covering approximately 50 kilometres of infrastructure networks, including electrical and communications systems alongside other site utilities.

400 MW Is Capacity—Not Energy Consumption

The 400 MW figure describes the planned permanent connection capacity. It does not mean the Expo will continuously consume 400 MW.

Publicly available project information reviewed for this article does not currently provide a verified forecast for total event electricity consumption in MWh or GWh, nor the individual MVA rating of each primary substation.

That distinction matters because electrical infrastructure is not designed around average consumption alone.

Peak demand, redundancy, simultaneous loads, cooling requirements, fault levels, maintenance conditions and future expansion all influence the final system capacity.

What Happens After 132 kV?

For electrical equipment manufacturers and EPC contractors, one of the most relevant parts of the project begins on the 13.8 kV side.

Once the primary substations step the voltage down, electricity still has to be distributed among more than 230 pavilions, commercial facilities, public infrastructure and supporting services.

This is where medium-Voltage Switchgear, distribution transformers, protection systems, feeders and low-voltage equipment become part of the power-delivery chain.

Equipment selection must therefore be coordinated. transformer capacity, switchgear ratings, short-circuit withstand capability, cable capacity and protection settings all need to match the same electrical system.

Once electricity reaches medium voltage, transformers, switchgear and protection equipment determine how reliably it reaches the final load.

What Does This Mean for a Smaller Industrial Project?

Most industrial customers will never need anything close to 400 MW.

But the planning logic scales down surprisingly well.

Consider a hypothetical manufacturing park with a 20 MW peak load.

The project still needs to determine how many transformers are required, how the load should be divided, whether critical production needs redundancy and how much spare capacity should be reserved for future expansion.

Engineers also need to calculate MV feeder requirements, switchgear ratings, short-circuit current, protection settings and cable capacity.

If the electrical system is designed only for today’s demand, adding another production line several years later may require expensive retrofits. Planning transformer bays, spare switchgear panels and cable routes in advance can make expansion significantly easier.