Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 2 / Trend, D. Azizov /
Uzbekenergo State Joint Stock Company has announced a tender for the modernization of electricity metering at a starting price of $180 million in three areas of the country - Bukhara, Jizzakh and Samarkand, an Uzbekenergo representative told Trend.
The tender is announced for the purchase and installation of one million units of electricity meters and development of an automated system for monitoring and metering of electricity (AMR) at 0.4 kV networks of consumers in the three regions. The project implementation period is three years. According to contest rules, the bids are accepted until May 31. The results will be announced in the third quarter of this year.
Financing of the project worth $207.4 million will be provided by a loan of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the amount of $150 million and through Uzbekenergo's equity.
As previously reported, Uzbekenergo plans to introduce an automated system for monitoring and metering of electricity of households in all twelve regions. The program provides for introduction of the data management system of accounting, billing system, appropriate communication system as well as installation of 4.5 million electricity meters for consumers in the 0.4 kV networks throughout the country.
The program worth $802 million will be financed through loans from international financial institutions in the amount of $584 million, the state budget and Uzbekenergo's own resources.
To date, Uzbekenergo estimates the total loss of electric power at 20 percent of the annual production in the amount of 51 billion kWh, including up to 15 percent at distribution networks.
The installed capacity of Uzbek power plants totals 12.4 million kW. The major share of electricity, up to 90 percent, is produced by 10 thermal power plants with a total installed capacity of 10.6 million kW.