Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, April 30 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmenistan has approved the 'Concept of development of power industry in the country for 2013-2020', the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Turkmenistan reported.
According to the report, the project is being developed by the Ministry of Economy and Development and the Institute of Strategic Planning and Economic Development of Turkmenistan. The document stipulates investing over $5 billion in this sector by 2020.
It is planned to implement the concept in two stages between 2013-2016 when it is planned to build eight gas turbine power plants at Akhal, Lebap and Mary velayats (provinces), reconstruct power plants in the cities of Seydi, Balkanabad and Abadan and to build high voltage transmission lines. According to estimates, these activities will almost double power production in Turkmenistan by 2016.
The second stage (2017-2020) provides for the construction of six power plants and a switch over to combined control at gas-turbine plants which will increase power capacities without additional natural gas production. Construction of overhead power transmission lines will continue.
There are 10 power plants functioning in Turkmenistan at the current stage, as well as 32 turbines including 14 vapour, 15 gas and three hydro ones. From 2007 to 2012 the amount of power production increased by 138 per cent.
The concept is aimed at meeting the demands of the industrial and agricultural sector of Turkmenistan, providing environmental security, creating new jobs and increasing the volume of electric power exports.
"The energy policy of the country must not only clearly define priorities of the development of the domestic energy sector in the coming years, but should also outline concrete steps towards integration into the global energy system," President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at a meeting of Cabinet of Ministers.
According to him, "cities and villages, and industrial enterprises of the country will be continuously and efficiently provided for by electricity."
The president also said the volume of electric power deliveries to foreign countries will grow five times by 2020 which will greatly increase the amount of hard monetary revenues to the national treasury.
According to earlier forecasts, by the end of 2012, power exports from Turkmenistan to Iran and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan had to constitute over 2.713 billion kWh, growing by by 7.5 percent compared to 2011. It was expected that the total power generation would hit 19,189 kWh, which is 5 percent more than in 2011.