The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted $450m financing to modernize the Talimarjan thermal power plant (TPP) in Uzbekistan and help improve energy security.
The financing will be used for the construction of between 850MW to 950MW of additional combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units at the Talimarjan power plant using combined cycle technology.
In addition to increasing the capacity of Talimarjan TPP to approximately 2,600MW, the new units are expected to improve the facility’s thermal efficiency from 48% to 52%.
The modernization project is expected to help the country meet its increasing power demand.
ADB said: “The project will also boost efforts to realize the government’s ambitious program, called Vision 2030, to transition Uzbekistan to an industrialized and upper middle-income country by 2030.”
According to estimates, the country’s electricity supply demand could reach around 14,600 gigawatt-hours by 2020.
ADB Central and West Asia Department Energy Specialist Seung Duck Kim said: “Modernizing Uzbekistan’s energy sector and power generation facilities are central to the economy and development of the country.
“ADB’s assistance will help Uzbekistan meet its growing energy needs and enhance the sustainability of the energy sector.”
ADB also approved $2m in technical assistance grant to enhance financial sustainability of Uzbekenergo, the state-owned electricity utility.
The grant will also help in strengthening power sector planning and tariff studies, ADB said.
Image: ADB’s funding will help Uzbekistan meet its growing energy demands. Photo: © 2017 Asian Development Bank.