Uzbekistan, Tashkent, 22 March / Trend D.Azizov /
Uzbekenergo State Joint Stock Company (SAC) signed a contract worth $ 861.8 million on Tuesday with a consortium of Korean companies, including Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Daewoo International, to build two combined cycle power plants (CCPP) at Talimarjan thermal power plant (TPP), Uzbekenergo representative told Trend.
Under the contract, the Korean consortium will build turnkey two PSU with 450 MW capacity each. The first block of PSU should be built for 1,000 days, the second - for 1125 days.
As previously reported, Uzbekistan plans to implement a project to expand the Talimarjan TPP through construction of two PSU worth $ 1.28 billion, and construction of 500 kV Talimarjan TPP - Sogdiana substantion overhead line with a 500 kV substation at Talimarjan TPP worth $ 166.76 million.
The project will enable an increase in the thermal power plant's installed capacity of up to 1.6 thousand MW.
Financing of the project for expansion of the Tolimarjon TPP is provided through loans of Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the amount of $ 350 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) - $ 300 million, the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan - $ 250 million and Uzbekenergo's equity.
Building of 500 kV overhead lines "Talimardjan TPP - Sogdiana substantion" will be financed by a World Bank loan in the amount of $ 110 million and equity of Uzbekenergo.
Construction of 500 kV Talimarjan TPP - Sogdiana substantion overhead line began in 2011 and is expected to be completed in 2013.
According to Uzbekenergo, implementation of these investment projects will increase the installed capacity of the plant to 1.6 thousand MW, which will improve the energy supply to the southern regions of the country and increase the export potential of electricity.
The first power unit at Talimarjan PPT with 800 MW capacity was put into operation in 2004.
Commissioning of the two CCGT's in 2016 will increase electricity generation in thermal power plants from 4.6 billion kilowatt / hour to 10.4 billion kilowatt / hour, indicator of efficiency of the station will increase to 58 percent from current 38 percent.
Currently, the power system of Uzbekistan includes 45 power plants with total capacity of 12.4 megawatts, including 16 power stations of Uzbekenergo with a total capacity of 12.04 megawatts.
The major share of electricity, up to 90 percent, is produced by 10 thermal power plants with total installed capacity of 10.6 megawatts.
In 2012, Uzbekistan increased production of electricity in comparison to 2011 by 0.2 percent, up to 52.534 billion kilowatt / hours.