Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 16
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
Two power units of the Syrdarya thermal power plant (TPP) worth $57.08 million were modernized in Uzbekistan, Uzbekenergo State Joint-Stock Company told Trend Dec. 15.
The equipment will be used in the coming days, the statement says.
The project's general contractor is the Russian Power Machines JSC, which was announced the winner of the tender by Uzbekenergo in 2013.
Under the terms of the contract signed between the two companies in March, 2013, the Russian company will upgrade the turbine, generator, boiler and additional equipment of two power units of the Syrdarya TPP, as well as introduce the automatic technological process control systems.
As a result of the modernization, the total capacity of these power units increased by 50 MW - up to 650 MW.
The project worth $60.2 million was financed on a parity basis through the loan of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan and Uzbekenergo's own funds.
The established capacity of the Syrdarya TPP - the largest thermal power plant in Central Asia - is 3,000 MW (10 power units with 300 MW each).
The annual volume of electricity supply in the united energy grid of the country is 13 billion kWh, or 32 percent of the total electricity generated in Uzbekistan.
In 2002, Siemens AG reconstructed two power units of the Syrdarya TPP (seventh and eighth units) worth $45.4 million.
The project was financed through a $27.8 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Uzbekenergo's funds.
In 2009, Russia's Power Machines JSC repaired the fifth power unit worth about $20 million. The project was financed by Uzbekenergo's own funds.
At present, Uzbekenergo is preparing a preliminary feasibility study of the Syrdarya TPP modernization project with the construction of two steam gas units of 450 MW each.
The new steam gas units are expected to be built to replace three obsolete power units with a total capacity of 900 MW. According to the preliminary estimates, the project cost may hit $1 billion.
Currently, the capacity of power plants hits 12.8 million kW in Uzbekistan.
The main share of electricity - up to 90 percent is generated by 10 thermal power plants of the company with a total capacity of 10.6 million kW, according to the official data.
edited by CN