Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sept. 2 / Trend D.Azizov /
Uzbekistan put into operation the Andijan Hydro Power Station (HPS) today with a total capacity of 50 MW, the Agriculture Ministry reported.
The construction of the station was completed earlier this year. Until recently, it has worked in test mode. The station's designed capacity is 171.1 million kilowatts-hours of electricity.
The China National Electric Equipment Corp (CNEEC) and the Uzbek Agriculture and Water Management Ministry signed an agreement in 2007 to construct the Ahangaran and Andijan hydro power stations with a capacity of 50 and 21 megawatts, respectively.
Based on the contract, the Chinese side supplied equipment and assembled two power-generating stations.
The CNEEC supplied the equipment on a turnkey basis, while the ministry's divisions carried out the construction and assembly activities.
Uzbekistan has already finished the construction of the Akhangaran hydropower plant. The plant operates at the Akhangaran Reservoir with a capacity of 66.5 million kilowatts-hours per year.
The Andijan project cost $28.5 million and was financed by a $15.93-million loan provided by the Chinese Eximbank with a government guarantee.
As previously reported, Uzbekistan plans to build nine small hydropower plants worth $ 255.7 million in 2010-2014. The Uzbekenergo state company will likely build small- and medium-sized hydropower plants with a total capacity of 323.6 MW on the country's natural watercourses to increase renewable energy's share in the country's energy balance.
The company has also established four hydropower plants with a total capacity of 203.6 MW. The preliminary estimated cost of the plants is $227.8 million in the Tashkent region and $148.9 million in the Surkhandar province.
The country plans to construct the small Camelot Hydropower Plant under the Chirchik-Bozsu Tract, worth about $11.3 million with an annual design capacity of eight megawatts by late 2012. The plant will allow 35 million kilowatts-hours of electricity to be produced per year, which is equal to fuel savings of 11 million cubic meters of natural gas per year. Uzbekenergo will invest $3.3 million from its own funds in the construction of the hydropower plant and $8 million from loans.
To date, the country has put into operation seven stations with a total capacity of 200 MW. There are 42 power plants with total capacity of 12.358 million MW in the power system. Uzbekenergo's 10 thermal power plants with an installed capacity of 10.6 million kilowatts-hours produce 90 percent of the total volume.
Uzbekistan decreased power production last year by 0.3 percent to 49.954 billion kilowatts-hours compared to 2007. In January to June 2010, power production increased by 3.1 percent to 25.945 billion kilowatts-hours compared to the same period in 2009.
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