Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 11 / Trend D.Azizov /
The World Bank and the Government of Uzbekistan signed a loan agreement on Thursday worth $180 million for a project to introduce an automated system of metering and control over electricity consumption in Tashkent and the Tashkent and Syrdarya regions, the Tashkent office of the World Bank told Trend on Thursday.
The loan approved by the leadership of the World Bank in March last year, was granted through the funds of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, part of the World Bank) for a period of 25 years with a five-year grace period.
Implementation of the project worth $246.4 million will allow distribution companies in the three regions of Uzbekistan - Tashkent, the Tashkent and Syrdarya regions to improve collection of fees for electricity consumed which will improve their financial position and operating efficiency.
The project plans to install 1.2 million advanced metering and communication systems as well as introduce new billing solutions.
This project is part of a national programme to improve the metering of electricity which runs until the end of 2015.
As previously reported, in 2013, Uzbekenrgo plans to start a project worth $802 million, providing for the introduction of an automated system for monitoring and metering of households in all 12 regions. The project will be implemented by the end of 2015.
Under the programme it is planned to introduce a system of data recording, a billing system, appropriate communication systems, as well as to install 4.5 million electricity meters for consumers in the 0.4 kV networks throughout the country.
Uzbekenergo estimates the total loss of electricity at 20 per cent with an annual production of 51 billion kWh, including distribution networks of up to 15 per cent.
According to specialists, the project will allow for a decade to reach energy savings in the residential sector of 2.75 billion kWh annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1.935 million tons annually.
The programme will be financed through loans from international financial institutions (IFIs) for $584 million, as well as equity from Uzbekenergo and the government of Uzbekistan - $218 million.
In February last year, the ADB allocated $150 million for the installation of one million electricity meters in three regions of the country - Bukhara, Jizzakh and Samarkand.
The credit is allocated out of the ordinary resources of the bank for 25 years, including a five-year grace period. It will be used for the purchase and installation of one million electricity meters in the 0.4 kV networks.
Uzbekistan joined the World Bank in 1992. According to the Bank, as of April 2013, the total amount of its active commitments to Uzbekistan amounts to about $987.5 million for 11 projects.