Mingachevir TPP’s reconstruction nearing completion
By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade
Azerbaijan, which has always been rich by its energy resources, currently works on diversification of its energy sources. Progress made in this sphere turned the country from an electricity importing country into a country exporting electricity.
Azerenergy, the largest electrical power producer of the country, plans to complete the reconstruction of the Azerbaijan thermal power plant in Mingachevir in the first half of 2020, the company said in a message.
“Work on the reconstruction of the power plant is being carried out at a fast pace. To date, repair work at the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth units of the TPPs is at the final stage. Repair of the remaining four power units will be finished by the end of this year. It is planned to complete the reconstruction of the Azerbaijan TPP in the first half of 2020,” the message says.
According to Azerenergy, reconstruction work was also completed in three of five cells of a 500-kilovolt substation. In general, work at this substation is completed by 90 percent.
“In addition, all 63 transformers were replaced at a 330-kilovolt substation, which had an accident in July last year. The construction of a control center for this substation has also been completed. The six-story engineering building of the Azerbaijan TPP has been fully reconstructed,” said the message.
The company stated that it has also finalized the construction work in the nitrogen-oxygen and air-compressor sections of the power plant, in oil and reagent sections and the chemical workshop, and the last tests and commissioning works are now being carried out.
Azerbaijan fully provides itself with electricity and even exports it in large quantities. The process of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the existing power units has been launched throughout the country.
Thermal power plants of Azerenergy generated 10.611 billion kW/h of commercial electricity (an increase of 7.1 percent) and hydroelectric power stations produced 859 million kW/h in the first half of 2019.
Azerenergy is the main exporter of electric energy in Azerbaijan. The total power generation capacity of its stations exceeds 6,000 MW, which allows generating about 24 billion kWh of electricity annually.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the volume of electricity generation in Azerbaijan in 2018 amounted to 25.256 billion kW/h, which is 13.7 percent more than in 2017.
As for exports, the electricity exports to Russia, Georgia, Iran and Turkey increased by 175 million kilowatt-hours or 14.2 percent in 2018 compared to 2017.
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Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1
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