Uzbekenergo keeps upgrading its energy system



Two modern combined-cycle plants to be installed in Talimarjan thermal power plant

Unitary Enterprise Talimardjan TPP of Uzbekenergo Company has signed a contract with a consortium of companies Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Daewoo International Consortium for the turnkey construction of two combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) with a capacity of 450 MW each valued at $861,780,000 at Talimarjan thermal power plant. It is planned that the facility will be commissioned in the third quarter of 2016.

The construction will be financed through the loan funds of the Asian Development Bank in the amount of $327,710,000 granted for a period of 25 years, including 5 years of grace period. Another $240,860,000 of loan will be provided by the Reconstruction and Development Fund of Uzbekistan. In addition, Japan International Cooperation Agency will provide a concessional loan of $293,210,000.

It is scheduled to launch the construction and assembly works under the project late this year. The first equipment will be delivered at the end of the first quarter of 2014. The feasibility study is expected to be developed and submitted for consideration by the government by the end of this September. By September 1, 2014 the construction works will be carried out concurrently with the development of the design and estimate documentation.

Under the project the members of the Consortium of Foreign Companies, subcontractors, consultants and foreign financial institutions are exempt from income tax payment for legal entities, and non-resident individuals are exempt from income tax payment.

It is worth to note that presently the combined-cycle plants are the most efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle for Uzbekistan in the upgrade of electric power, which will help to improve the efficiency of power generation from 30% to 50%, and also to save fuel and reduce emissions by one million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.

CONTEXT

The power base of Uzbekistan comprises 39 plants. Their installed capacity is 12.5 MW. The major part - it\'s thermal power plants run by natural gas and coal. The rest of the power is represented by small and medium-sized hydropower plants. In the next few years, Uzbekenrgo plans to implement a range of projects on upgrade and development of thermal power plants with input capacity of 2,329 MW.

(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)