BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
Saudi Arabian ACWA Power announced that the company plans to complete construction and commissioning works at combined cycle thermal power plant based on the Syrdarya thermal power plant in Uzbekistan by the end of 2023, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan.
The issue was discussed by the Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi company ACWA Power and co-chairman of the Uzbek-Saudi Business Council Mohammad Abunayyan during a meeting dedicated to discussing the implementation of current joint projects and further expanding investment cooperation in the development of renewable energy sources.
The parties discussed the progress in the construction of a combined cycle thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,500 MW based on the Syrdarya thermal power plant, worth $1.2 billion. In particular, the possibilities of accelerating construction work and mechanisms of bilateral interaction in this direction were considered.
Also, tasks were identified to accelerate design work for the construction of two wind farms with an aggregate capacity of 1,000 MW in Bukhara and Navoi regions, with a total cost of $1.3 billion. It was noted that the commissioning of these facilities will provide additional electricity generation in the amount of 15.6 billion kWh per year and will create more than 5,000 new jobs during construction and 300 new jobs during the operation of the stations.
In addition, the parties discussed the potential directions for expanding investment cooperation in the field of alternative energy, meaning the construction of new solar and wind power plants in Uzbekistan. The leadership of ACWA Power underlined the intentions to strengthen the investment presence in Uzbekistan through the implementation of new large-scale projects.
Furthermore, an agreement was reached on close cooperation to attract new potential investors from among large Saudi companies to implement projects in Uzbekistan, including through participation in the privatization of state-owned banks and assets, using the platform of the Uzbek-Saudi Business Council.
ACWA Power is the developer, co-owner and operator of a portfolio of power and desalinated water plants producing 38.7 GW of electricity and 5.8 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day, which is worth $61.2 billion. The company employs around 3,500 people and currently has an international presence in 12 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Central and Southeast Asia.
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