Uzbekistan starts construction of new thermal power plant
By Aynur Jafarova
Uzbekenergo State Joint Stock Company has started construction of Turakurgan thermal power plant (TPP) in Uzbekistan's Namangan region with the capacity of 900 megawatts, Uzbekenergo representative told Trend on August 30.
The new TPP will ensure uninterrupted power supply to consumers of Uzbekistan's Andijan, Namangan and Ferghana regions, located in the Ferghana Valley.
The project, estimated at around $1 billion, envisages the construction of TPP with two units of combined cycle plants, each with capacity of 450 megawatts and the production of up to 7 billion kilowatt/hour of electricity per year.
The first unit is planned to be commissioned in 2016 and the second in 2017.
According to the source, preparation and construction work has been sanctioned at the construction site of TPP. Furthermore, the preparation of tender documents is underway. Tender for the supply of equipment will be announced in the first half of 2014.
The financing of the project will be carried out by loans attracted from international financial institutions worth about $600 million, loan from Uzbekistan's Fund for Reconstruction and Development worth $350 million and Uzbekenergo's own funds.
This strategic project is expected not only to meet the electricity demands of Ferghana, Namangan and Andijan regions, but also to play an important role in the future development of the entire region of Fergana valley.
Currently the electricity supply in the region is implemented from the central part of Uzbekistan through the Novo-Angren TPP - Uzbekistanskaya SS power line with a capacity of 500 kilovolts. Prior to the launch of the power lines in 2008, Ferghana Valley was almost completely supplied with electricity from Kyrgyz energy system.
The energy system of Uzbekistan consists of 45 power plants with total capacity of more than 12,400 megawatts, including 16 power plants in the structure of Uzbekenergo with a total capacity of 12,040 megawatts.
In 2012, electricity production in Uzbekistan increased by 0.2 percent compared to 2011.
Uzbekenergo carries out centralized electric power supply of the Central Asian state's economy and population and also sale of thermal energy to industrial and domestic consumers.
During the years of economic reform, the power industry's enterprises annually generate up to 48 billion kW/h of electric power, a volume that fully meets the demand of the country's economy and population.