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Akbar Novruz

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Construction of a new high-voltage overhead power line in Azerbaijan under the AZURE project is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), the project is being implemented within the framework of the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Expansion (AZURE) initiative, specifically under sub-component 1.2. It provides for the construction of a 235-kilometer, 500 kV single-circuit transmission line linking the Azerbaijan Thermal Power Plant substation to the Navoi substation. The project is financed with the support of the World Bank.

The broader project includes the construction of the new “Nevai” substation and several transmission lines:

• “Alat AIZ (AFEZ) — Nevai” — 22 km
• “Absheron KES — Nevai” — 65 km
• “Absheron KES — Gobu ES” — 19 km (three lines with a total length of 106 km)

The World Bank is financing the grid expansion and integration components, including the connection of the Absheron-Garadagh wind power plant and the strengthening of both 330 kV and 500 kV transmission networks.

The planned transmission route will pass through eight districts, including Agdash, Agsu, Goychay, Hajigabul, Ismayilli, Mingachevir, Shamakhi, and Yevlakh, covering 64 settlements and 44 pasture areas, totaling 110 sites. The majority of the route runs through flat agricultural land.

The total easement area across the project is estimated at approximately 8.13 million square meters, with 51% privately owned land, 40% state-owned, and 9% municipal.

The project will affect 1,114 private landowners and 22 formal tenants, as well as 11 business facilities located along the transmission corridor. Informal users of state and municipal lands have also been identified and will be eligible for compensation in line with international standards.

Importantly, the project does not provide for physical resettlement, as no residential buildings fall within the construction zone. The impact is expected to be purely economic, involving temporary land-use restrictions, limited access during construction, and potential losses related to crops, trees, and some non-residential structures.

The AZURE initiative is seen as a key component of Azerbaijan’s strategy to expand renewable energy capacity and modernize its national power transmission infrastructure.