TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 18. Asian Development Bank (ADB) is considering providing financial support to Uzbekistan for the Distribution Network Digital Transformation and Resiliency Project, Trend reports.
As per the information provided by the bank, the potential assistance includes a loan of $200 million and technical assistance worth $250,000.
The Distribution Network Digital Transformation and Resiliency Project aims to improve the country's distribution electric system by rehabilitating medium voltage distribution substations and associated overhead lines. Additionally, the project will focus on modernizing the operations of the distribution system.
The main objective of the project is to achieve social and economic development by providing better infrastructure services. The expected outcome is an improvement in the reliability and efficiency of the distribution grid operation.
Currently, the project is undergoing a management review meeting to assess its progress and plan for the next steps.
Uzbekistan's distribution system consists of over 260,000 kilometers of networks ranging from 0.4-kilovolt (kV) to 110 kV. It includes 1,655 substations and over 86,000 transformer points, supplying electricity to around 7.6 million homes and businesses.
However, over 50 percent of the distribution lines have been in use for more than 30 years, and around 30 percent of the substation transformers urgently need replacement.
According to the Statistical Agency of the country, over 23.99 billion kWh of electricity was produced in Uzbekistan from January through April this year, which is 3.9 percent less than in the same period last year (24.98 billion kWh).