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A performance model for Shams I solar power plant in Abu Dhabi has been developed using spreadsheets. The solar field of the plant is composed of 192 loops, where each loop contains 4 parabolic trough collector assemblies tracking the sun on a single axis. These solar collectors focus sunlight onto a heat transfer fluid flowing in their focal line, causing its temperature to rise. The hot fluid is then used to generate steam via a heat exchanger network in a separate Rankine cycle loop. The pressurized solar-generated steam is then fed to a turbine, where a generator connected to its shaft is used to produce electricity by the work of the expanding steam. The developed spreadsheet requires certain inputs to quantify electric power generation, such as solar radiation, ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed, time of day, day of year, and other geographical and optical constants. A simulation based on the data of a typical metrological year for Abu Dhabi found that the plant will generate 225 GWh of net electricity. Highest generation was accomplished in the summer months of May and June, while lowest generation was realized in the winter months of January and December. The model is very flexible in that it can be easily modified to model different operating periods with different time increments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]