Saudi PIF Establishes New Energy Service Company 'Super Esco'

The Kingdom Tower stands in the night above the Saudi capital Riyadh November 16, 2007.  REUTERS/Ali Jarekji  (SAUDI ARABIA)
The Kingdom Tower stands in the night above the Saudi capital Riyadh November 16, 2007. REUTERS/Ali Jarekji (SAUDI ARABIA)
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Saudi PIF Establishes New Energy Service Company 'Super Esco'

The Kingdom Tower stands in the night above the Saudi capital Riyadh November 16, 2007.  REUTERS/Ali Jarekji  (SAUDI ARABIA)
The Kingdom Tower stands in the night above the Saudi capital Riyadh November 16, 2007. REUTERS/Ali Jarekji (SAUDI ARABIA)

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced the establishment of a new energy service company, Super Esco, designed to increase energy efficiency across government and public buildings and stimulate the growth of the Kingdom’s energy efficiency industry in line with the objectives of Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and drive environmental sustainability.

In partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Finance, and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, Super Esco will provide new investment opportunities by creating partnerships with the private sector to deliver projects.

Projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s energy efficiency sector have an estimated value of SAR 42 billion, or around SAR 3 billion annually. Internationally, the sector is valued at SAR 130 billion, with projects in the US, Europe, and China accounting for 90 percent of the global market share.

Super Esco has been established with a capitalization of SAR 1.9 billion. The company will fund and manage the retrofit of government and public buildings, which represent over 70 percent of overall projects in the sector.

These projects will help reduce government spending on the electricity sector, which will in turn reduce natural resource consumption while rationalizing capital investments in expansion projects for the production, generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity.



Russia’s Putin Discusses US-Iran Nuclear Talks with Sultan of Oman

Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq al-Said (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a signing ceremony following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 22 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq al-Said (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a signing ceremony following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 22 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
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Russia’s Putin Discusses US-Iran Nuclear Talks with Sultan of Oman

Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq al-Said (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a signing ceremony following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 22 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)
Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq al-Said (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a signing ceremony following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 22 April 2025. (EPA/Kristina Kormilitsyna / Sputnik / Kremlin)

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Iran's nuclear program on Tuesday with the visiting leader of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, a Kremlin official was quoted as saying.

Oman has been mediating between Iran and the United States as President Donald Trump seeks an agreement that would curb Iran's nuclear program, which Washington believes is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon.

"We discussed the progress of negotiations between Iranian and American representatives," Interfax quoted Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov as saying.

"We will see what the result will be. We maintain close contact with our Iranian colleagues. Where we can, we help."

Trump has threatened to bomb Iran unless a deal is reached; Iran denies seeking atomic weapons. Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran in January and is also trying to improve relations with the Trump administration.

Moscow has a role in nuclear talks with Iran as a signatory to a previous nuclear deal that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. Russia has said any US military action against Iran would be illegal.

In televised comments, Putin was shown telling the sultan that Russian energy companies were interested in developing relations with Oman.

It was the second time in less than a week that Putin has met face-to-face with a Middle Eastern leader, following a visit by the emir of Qatar on April 17. Iran's foreign minister visited last week.