Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev opened a power plant after overhaul in the Nizami district of the capital Baku on September 25.

The new substation will strengthen Baku's energy supply in this area.

Recently Bakielektrikshebeke company dealing with the sale and distribution of electricity in Baku completed the reconstruction of the substation.

The substation was designed for 110/35/6 kilovolts power generation.

The substation will supply electricity to the Oil Refinery named after Heydar Aliyev, the new administrative building of SOCAR, the state oil fund SOFAZ, the Olympic Stadium, the Gymnastics Complex and other new facilities being built at the Heydar Aliyev Avenue.

The President reviewed the conditions in the newly reconstructed station and viewed the stands reflecting Heydar Aliyev's activity to modernize the electricity industry in the country.

Head of Bakielektrikshebeke Baba Rzayev informed President Aliyev about the work carried out in the substation.

The President launched the substation by computer from the dispatcher management center.

The three-storey power plant, with the total area of over 3,200 square meters, includes distribution facilities.

The opening of the substation has allowed to increase the network's power by 8 percent. Since the launch of Bakielektrikshebeke in 2006, the power increase of the network has reached 90 percent. All new substations have been equipped with modern devices and a management system.

President Aliyev reviewed different sections of the substation. The first floor houses the control center, 35- and 6-kilovolt distribution installations, reactors, transformers, offices, a kitchen and other auxiliary facilities. On the second floor of the substation there is 110-kilovolt electrical equipment.

After examining the substation, President Aliyev met with its staff.

The President said consistent measures for further development of this sector would continue to be taken in the future.

According to the President, currently the electrical economy of Baku is being updated and modernized.

"The investments made in this sector in recent years are manifested in the construction of substations as well. Both you and I can remember well that once the Baku electricity network was transferred to the management of a foreign company. As a result, the available facilities, you can say, were completely ruined. Many-hour-long power outages emerged in Baku, and power supply was at a very low level, which certainly caused fair discontent of the public," the President said.

A few years ago, the Baku power network was returned to the state according to President Aliyev's orders.

"Management was transferred to the state control, and a new period of development began. Employees of the network demonstrated professionalism; at the same time, every year capital funds and investments in the development of the network are envisioned in the state budget. As a result of the development of these two areas, currently the power economy of Baku is at the highest level. The most modern equipment has been installed and the most effective technological conditions employed here. And it is reassuring that most of the equipment installed here is manufactured in Azerbaijan," Aliyev said.

According to the President, over the past decade around 2,800 megawatts of new power generating capacities have been created in Azerbaijan, and 14 power plants built. Essentially, 50 percent of the available energy potential has been created in the past ten years.

The President added, "I am sure that in the future there will be a need for construction of new substations, as the development of Azerbaijan is so rapid that in 5-10 years the current capacities will be insufficient."

President Aliyev noted that the private sector accounts for a major part of the Azerbaijani economy, but strategic assets must be at the disposal of the state.

However, the President said, public investments in these facilities are of purely social nature.

"I believe that Azerbaijan's experience has justified itself in the post-Soviet space. All of our strategic facilities are controlled by the state," Aliyev added.