Knowledge Center
Diesel generators, explained for Saudi projects.
Guides written by the team that sizes, supplies and commissions the sets — grouped by where you are in the decision. No sign-up, no jargon left unexplained.
Knowledge Center
Choosing the right set
Size, rating, frequency and application — get the specification right before you ask for prices.
How to size a diesel generator for your project — a practical kVA guide
Undersize a generator and it trips on the first compressor start. Oversize it and you pay for capacity that wet-stacks at low load. Here is the practical middle path.
3 min readRead the guide
Standby vs prime vs continuous: which generator rating should you buy?
The same engine is sold with two or three different kVA numbers. Buy on the wrong one and the set either costs too much or dies early. Here is how to choose.
3 min readRead the guide
50 Hz or 60 Hz? Choosing the right generator frequency for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
The single most expensive mistake we see on imported generators is frequency. The Kingdom is the odd one out in the Gulf, and the difference changes the engine speed, the rating and the price.
3 min readRead the guide
Which generator for a villa in Saudi Arabia? Sizing, noise, fuel and what it costs
A villa generator is sized by the air-conditioning, not the lights. Here is the practical guide we give homeowners and contractors in Jeddah and Riyadh.
3 min readRead the guide
Knowledge Center
Buying and comparing
What things cost, which brand fits which job, and what a proper offer must include.
Diesel generator prices in Saudi Arabia (2026): what a 30 to 2,500 kVA set really costs
Buyers ask us the same question every week: how much does a generator cost? Here are honest 2026 ranges by size, what moves the price up or down, and what a proper offer must include.
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Perkins vs Cummins generators in Saudi Arabia: which engine should your project run on?
Both brands are excellent; they win different jobs. Here is the comparison we give buyers who ask us which to specify.
3 min readRead the guide
Knowledge Center
Owning and running
Maintenance, testing and the habits that keep a set ready on the day of the outage.
Tools
Do the numbers yourself
Sizing calculator
Pick appliances or enter kW; get a recommended kVA and the nearest models with Saudi derating applied.
OpenSelection chart
130+ ratings from multiple engine brands at 50 and 60 Hz, each with a one-click quote request.
OpenBrowse by kVA
Models, fuel use and what a given size powers, from 20 to 2,500 kVA.
OpenFAQ index
Questions buyers ask us, answered — General
Collected from every generator page on the site — general questions first, then city-specific ones.
Should I order 50 Hz or 60 Hz?
Saudi Arabia's grid is 60 Hz, so any set that will run alongside utility power or feed standard local equipment must be 60 Hz (1800 rpm). We supply 50 Hz sets for export projects or equipment specified at 50 Hz.
What is the difference between standby and prime rating?
Standby is the maximum output for emergency use during a utility outage, typically for limited hours per year. Prime is the continuous output at variable load, with a 10 % overload allowance. If the set is your main power source, size on the prime rating.
Do Saudi temperatures reduce generator output?
Yes. Sets are rated at 25–40 °C; above that, engines derate roughly 1 % per °C. For 50 °C summers we size with a derating margin and specify tropical radiators, so the set delivers its rated output when you need it most.
Are the generators new and do they come with warranty?
All sets are brand-new, factory-assembled and load-tested, with the OEM engine serial and manufacturer warranty. Warranty is honoured in-Kingdom with service and spare parts through our network.
How fast can you deliver?
Common ratings (up to ~500 kVA Perkins and Cummins) are typically available within 2–6 weeks; larger and containerized sets are built to order with 8–14 weeks lead time. Ask for current availability — stock changes weekly.
Can you supply ATS, synchronising panels and fuel tanks?
Yes. We supply automatic transfer switches, Deep Sea synchronising controllers for multi-set plants, day tanks and bulk fuel systems with piping, and we install and commission the complete package.
Do you provide documents for consultant approval?
Yes — OEM datasheets, GA drawings, alternator and controller data, and compliance certificates are prepared as a technical submittal for the consultant's approval before manufacturing.
Questions buyers ask us, answered — By city and region
Which generator brands do you supply?
A wide choice of international engine brands, including Perkins (15–2,500 kVA), Cummins (68–2,500 kVA), Baudouin (24–3,300 kVA), Kubota (11–50 kVA), John Deere (57–320 kVA) and Doosan (320–950 kVA) — all brand-new, with OEM documentation and manufacturer warranty. Other brands can be sourced on request, subject to project requirements and availability.
Do you supply silent or containerized generators?
Yes — open sets, super-silent sound-attenuated canopies for urban and occupied sites, and containerized plants for heavy standby duty. Prime and standby ratings across the range.
Do you deliver generators across Saudi Arabia?
Yes — we deliver to project sites in all 13 Saudi regions, with dispatch coordinated around your site schedule, access constraints and crane requirements.
How fast can you deliver a generator in Jeddah?
Sizing and proposal within 24 hours of receiving your load schedule. Delivery depends on the specified set and configuration — we confirm the schedule in the proposal and coordinate dispatch with your site team.
Do you supply generators to construction sites in Riyadh?
Yes — prime-rated site power and standby plants alike. We are already active in Riyadh, including subcontracting works at King Fahd Sports City with Saudi Binladin Group.
Can you specify a generator for continuous industrial load?
Yes — continuous and prime ratings are exactly where brand selection matters most. We review your load profile and duty cycle, then specify the engine brand and rating that carry it reliably — with OEM documentation for your consultant.
Do you have quiet generators suitable for residential and hotel sites?
Yes — super-silent sound-attenuated canopies are specified for occupied buildings, compounds and hospitality sites where noise limits matter. We include the sound-level data in the technical submittal.
Can you deliver to Makkah quickly during Hajj and Ramadan?
Yes. Our base is in Jeddah, one hour from Makkah, so common ratings can be surveyed, delivered and commissioned within days. For the peak seasons we recommend ordering 6–8 weeks ahead so the set is tested and running before the crowds arrive.
Which generator is right for a hotel or pilgrim housing tower?
A silent canopy or a plant-room open set sized on the building’s essential load — lifts, fire pumps, corridor lighting, cold rooms and part of the HVAC — typically 250 to 1,000 kVA. We size it from the load schedule, not the building size.
Do you supply the automatic transfer switch (ATS) as well?
Yes. We supply the set, the ATS, the fuel tank and the installation and commissioning as one package, with documents prepared for the consultant and the authority.
How fast can a generator reach Madinah?
Common Perkins and Cummins ratings up to about 500 kVA ship from our Jeddah base and reach Madinah the same or next day once the set is ready. Larger and containerized sets are built to order with 8–14 weeks lead time.
Do you install and commission in Madinah?
Yes — positioning, cabling to the ATS, fuel connection, start-up and load test are included when you order the installed package. We coordinate the crane and site access with your team.
Is the warranty valid in Madinah?
Yes. Manufacturer warranty is honoured in-Kingdom through our service network, with spare parts and technicians dispatched from Jeddah and Riyadh.
Do you provide the technical submittal package required on industrial sites?
Yes. Every offer for Jubail comes with OEM engine and alternator datasheets, the controller specification, dimensional drawings, factory test certificates and compliance documents prepared for the consultant or owner review before manufacturing.
Can you supply synchronised multi-set plants for large loads?
Yes. For loads above 2,500 kVA we propose paralleled sets with Deep Sea synchronising controllers, load sharing and a common switchgear — with redundancy so one set can be serviced while the plant keeps running.
Do you deliver to the Royal Commission and gated industrial areas?
Yes. We coordinate gate passes, lowbed access and crane positioning with your site team, and deliver to Jubail Industrial City, Jubail 2 and Ras Al Khair.
How long does delivery from Jeddah to Yanbu take?
About three hours by road. Common ratings ship the day the set is ready; containerized plants travel on a lowbed with an escort where required, coordinated with your gate and crane.
Can you supply sets for the Royal Commission industrial area?
Yes. We prepare the technical submittal package required on Royal Commission sites and coordinate access permits with your team.
Do you offer prime-rated sets for camps that run on generator power daily?
Yes. For camps and off-grid sites we size on the prime rating with John Deere, Perkins or Cummins engines chosen for fuel economy at continuous load.
Which rating should a NEOM camp generator be sized on?
On the prime rating, because the set is the primary power source and runs every day. We size for 70–90 % loading at the camp’s evening peak and recommend two or more sets in parallel so one can be serviced without a blackout.
Do you provide remote monitoring and spare parts for far sites?
Yes. Sets can be supplied with Deep Sea controllers with GSM or satellite monitoring, and we include a first-service spare-parts kit (filters, belts, coolant) so the site does not wait for a delivery from the city.
Can you deliver containerized plants to the Red Sea and NEOM sites?
Yes. 20 and 40 ft containerized plants travel by lowbed from Jeddah with route planning, permits and escorts coordinated with your logistics team, and are commissioned on arrival.
Does altitude really reduce generator output in Abha?
Yes. Engines lose roughly 3 % of output per 300 m above 1,000 m, so at Abha’s 2,200 m a set loses about 12 %, and more at Soudah. We apply the derating in the sizing and recommend the next rating up so the set carries your load at full site conditions.
Which brands do you recommend for Asir hospitals and universities?
Perkins and Cummins for standby plants with the widest service coverage, and Baudouin where a large rating is needed on a controlled budget. All supplied with the submittal package for the consultant.
Do you deliver and commission in the mountains?
Yes. We plan the route for the escarpment roads, deliver canopy and containerized sets by lowbed, and commission on site with a load test and operator handover.
Do you supply 50 Hz generators for the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman?
Yes. GCC grids outside Saudi Arabia run at 50 Hz, so we supply 1500 rpm sets built for 50 Hz — the same Perkins, Cummins, Baudouin and Kubota ranges, from 10 to 2,500 kVA, with the 50 Hz datasheet and ratings.
How do you ship generators to the GCC and who handles customs?
By road through the King Fahd Causeway (Bahrain), Batha (UAE) and Salwa (Qatar) crossings, or by sea from Jeddah and Dammam. We prepare the commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and OEM documents; GCC customs clearance can be handled by us or your broker.
Can you quote DDP to a GCC site?
Yes. Tell us the delivery city and the site conditions and we quote delivered-duty-paid or ex-works, in SAR or USD, with the delivery time stated in the offer.
Glossary
Generator terms in plain language
- kVA (kilovolt-ampere)
- The apparent power a generator can deliver. Generators are rated in kVA; multiply by the power factor to get usable kW. 500 kVA × 0.8 = 400 kW.
- kW (kilowatt)
- Real power actually consumed by the load. Your equipment nameplates and bills are in kW; convert to kVA (÷ 0.8) to size the generator.
- Power factor (PF)
- The ratio of kW to kVA, 0.8 for typical mixed loads. Motors pull it down; lighting and heaters push it toward 1.0.
- Standby rating (ESP)
- Maximum output for emergency use during a utility outage — limited hours per year, no overload. The largest number on the datasheet.
- Prime rating (PRP)
- Output available for unlimited hours at variable load with a 10 % overload allowance. About 10 % below standby; size on it when the set is the main power source.
- Continuous rating (COP)
- Output at constant base load for unlimited hours — for pump stations, process plants and sites that run on generators by design.
- 50 Hz / 60 Hz
- Grid frequency. Saudi Arabia is 60 Hz (1800 rpm sets); the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman are 50 Hz (1500 rpm). A set must match the grid it connects to.
- Derating
- Reduction of rated output for site conditions: roughly 1 % per °C above 40 °C and 3 % per 300 m above 1,000 m altitude.
- Load schedule
- The list of every connected load with running power and starting behaviour — the starting point of any honest sizing.
- Motor starting (DOL)
- A direct-on-line motor draws about six times its running current for a few seconds; the set must absorb that surge without a damaging voltage dip.
- Open type (skid)
- Engine, alternator and controller on a base frame without an enclosure — for ventilated plant rooms.
- Silent canopy
- A weather-proof, sound-attenuated enclosure, typically 70–75 dB(A) at 7 m; super-silent versions go below 65 dB(A).
- Containerized set
- A 20 or 40 ft ISO container with acoustic lining, fuel system and cable trays — a complete plant that arrives on a lowbed.
- ATS (automatic transfer switch)
- Detects a utility failure, starts the generator and transfers the load, then transfers back when the grid returns — no one has to go outside.
- Synchronising / paralleling
- Running two or more sets together on one busbar with load sharing, for large loads or redundancy. Needs synchronising controllers and switchgear.
- DSE (Deep Sea Electronics)
- The most common generator controller brand; the DSE 7320 and 8610 models handle auto-start, protection, monitoring and synchronising.
- Alternator
- The part that turns the engine's rotation into electricity. Leroy Somer and Stamford are the two reference brands on quality sets.
- Base tank / day tank
- Fuel storage built into the set's base frame (typically 8 hours at 75 % load) or a separate daily tank fed from a bulk tank.
- Fuel consumption
- Roughly 0.21 litres of diesel per kWh delivered at 75 % load; a 500 kVA set burns about 63 L/h at that load.
- Wet-stacking
- Fouling of the exhaust and injectors when a diesel runs for long periods below about 30 % load — the hidden cost of oversizing.
- Load bank test
- Running the set against an artificial load for one to two hours to prove its rating and burn off carbon — done at the factory and yearly on site.
- OEM datasheet
- The manufacturer's specification sheet for the exact engine and set — ratings at 50 and 60 Hz, fuel curve, dimensions, weight. Part of every BRO Global offer.
- Technical submittal
- The document package (datasheets, drawings, certificates) a consultant reviews and approves before a set is manufactured or accepted.
- Tropical radiator
- A larger cooling package specified for 50 °C ambient so the set delivers its rating in a Saudi summer.
Still have a question your load schedule can answer?
Send it to power@broglobal.net or WhatsApp us — a sized, priced offer within 24 hours.