Azernews.Az

By Nigar Abbasova

The government of Uzbekistan has applied to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with the request to issue loan worth $450 million for the implementation of the second stage of the project on modernizing Talimarjan thermal power plant (TPP). The plant is located in Kashkadarya Province of Uzbekistan, 440 km south west of Tashkent.

The request is expected to be considered in 2017.

The second stage with the preliminary cost of $910 million of the project envisages construction of two steam-gas plants with the capacity of 450 megawatt. Estimated construction period is 2018-2021.

Uzbekenergo launched the first stage of improvement in 2013. General contractors of the steam-gas plants construction which is implemented on turnkey terms are Korean consortium of Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Daewoo International. Main supplier of services is Japan Mitsubishi Corporation. Financing of the project is implemented by the ADB, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JIKA) and Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan as well as own funds of Uzbekenergo. The funds of ADB amount to $350 million while the amount of financing provided by JIKA and the fund totals $300 million and $240.86 million respectively. The 1st stage is expected to be completed in December 2016.

Improvement of the TPP is expected to increase the capacity of the station up to 2,600 megawatts and provide for the amelioration of energy supply to southern regions of the country as well as increase export potential of the country.

The first power-generating unit on the TPP with the capacity of 800 megawatts was commissioned in 2004. Currently, the station provides the generation of 4.69 billion kilowatts hour with the fuel consumption rate of 314 grams per kilowatt hour. The station’s coefficient of efficiency is expected to increase up to 58 percent while the current rate amounts to 38 percent.

The commissioning of the two steam-gas plants under the second stage is expected to give a stimulus to the increase of the electric energy generation from 4.6 billion up to 10.4 billion kilowatts per hour.

As much as 45 power stations with the total capacity of approximately 12,800 megawatt are currently operating in the country. Main portion of the electricity which amounts to about 90 percent is generated by 10 thermal stations with the total capacity of 10,600 megawatt.

Uzbekistan joined the ADB in August 1995. The ADB program in Uzbekistan has provided loans, grants and technical assistance to grow the country’s economy and improve the lives of people, particularly the poor, women, children and other vulnerable groups.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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