Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb. 13 /. Trend D.Azizov /
A consortium comprising Korean Daewoo and Hyundai won the tender for the project to upgrade the Tolimarjon thermal power plant (TPP) in Uzbekistan worth $1.28 billion, a source in government circles told Trend.
As reported earlier, the tender for a general contractor was announced by the Uzbekenergo state joint stock company which is a customer of the project to expand Tolimarjon TPP by constructing two combined cycle power plants with a capacity of 450 MW in November 2010.
"As of today, Uzbekenergo has confirmed the tender winner," the source said.
According to the source, the contract with the consortium to implement the project under turnkey conditions will be signed by late February. He did not specify the value of the contract.
The project will be financed by loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of $ 350 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - $300 million, the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan - $250 million and equity of Uzbekenergo.
Construction of the 500 kV Tolimarjon TPP - Sogdiana substation will be financed by a World Bank loan worth $110 million and equity of Uzbekenergo.
Construction of the 500 kV Tolimarjon TPP - Sogdiana substation began in 2011 and expected to be completed this year.
According to Uzbekenergo, the implementation of these investment projects will increase the installed capacity of the plant to 1.600 MW which will improve the energy supply of the southern regions of the country and increase the country's export potential.
The first power unit at Tolimarjon thermal power plant with capacity of 800 MW was commissioned in 2004.
With the introduction of two combined cycle gas turbines in 2016, electricity generation in thermal power plants will increase from 4.6 billion kWh to 10.4 billion kWh. The specific fuel consumption per kilowatt / hour will be reduced from 314 grams to 263 grams and the stations' coefficient of performance (COP) will increase to 58 per cent from current 38 per cent.
There are 45 power plants with a total capacity of 12.400 MW, including 16 power stations of Uzbekenergo with a total capacity of 12.040 MW.
The major share of electricity, up to 90 per cent is produced by 10 thermal power plants with a total installed capacity of 10.600 t MW.
In 2012, Uzbekistan increased electricity production by 0.2 per cent as compared to 2011 to 52.534 billion kWh