Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 3
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Uzbekistan invites investors to participate in a project to build a solar power plant with a capacity of 100 megawatts in the Navoi region, the State Investment Committee of Uzbekistan announced on Nov. 3.
On Nov. 20, a conference was held in Tashkent for potential investors on the construction of the first solar power plant in the form of a public-private partnership (PPP). The event was organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the State Investment Committee of Uzbekistan and Uzbekenergo.
Representatives of the 22 largest energy companies and international financial organizations arrived in Uzbekistan to familiarize themselves with the technical features of this project and about the planned dates for the competitive selection.
Investors will be selected through a transparent and competitive tender, will have the opportunity to conclude a land lease agreement, a concession agreement and exploit and use the main assets of the power plant.
In May 2018, IFC signed an agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan to attract private sector investment in renewable energy in Uzbekistan.
IFC acts as a consultant to the government of Uzbekistan and Uzbekenergo on structuring PPPs, with the goal of mobilizing experience in attracting private investment for the construction and operation of a 100 megawatt solar power plant, which is planned to be built in the Navoi region.
This is only the first phase of the initiative to bring the total capacity of photovoltaic plants to 1,000 megawatts. The joint project aims to attract over $1 billion in private investment in the development of solar photovoltaic stations.
According to experts, this will allow not only to improve the energy supply of the country, but also to create a transparent and simplified mechanism for attracting investments, aimed further at the implementation of investment projects in other industries.
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