Uzbekistan, Tashkent, March 4 / Trend D.Azizov /
In 2010-2013, Uzbekneftegaz, the National Holding Company (NHC) of Uzbekistan, plans to refurbish two compressor stations - CS-2 and CS-3 - situated at the extent of gas pipeline Central Asia-Center, the NHC reported.
The project, preliminarily valued at $64 million, envisions installation of two 25-megawatt gas turbines at each compressor station.
NHC specialists have calculated that once the project is implemented, there will be produced up to 212 megawatts per hour of electricity offline, which will cause almost a double decrease of the compressor station's dependence on power network and improve reliability of natural gas supply to consumers in the Tashkent area and the Fergana Valley in wintertime.
The project is likely to take its start in 2010, in accordance with the state investment program.
Currently, Uzbekneftegaz's designing organizations complete technical analysis of options of installation of gas turbines. The project's feasibility study is likely to be completed by the end of 2010, and tender for supply of equipment is to be announced at the end of this year.
Uzbekneftegaz plans to finance the project at its own expense.
Uzbekneftgaz intends to draw investments in the total amount of $1.5 billion to develop gas export pipelines and refurbish the domestic gas mains in Uzbekistan over several next years.
In particular, it is planned to refurbish four compressor stations situated at the extent of gas pipeline Central Asia-Center, build a booster gas compressor station at underground gas storage in Gazli, expand the existing gas pipelines and build new ones with total extent of 1,520 kilometers.
Total length of Uzbekistan's single-stranded gas mains exceeds 14,000 kilometers. Separate sections of the mighty gas pipelines - Central Asia-Center and Bukhara-Urals - designed for natural gas export and transit have been laid in the northwest of the country. Joint-stock company Uztransgaz, a structural division of Uzbekneftegaz, operates 24 compressor stations and more than 300 gas supply stations.