ACWA Power has won the bid for the construction and operation of a 100 MW wind power project in Uzbekistan. The company won the bid with the lowest tariff of $2.5695 cents per kWh. The tender will make the first competitively procured wind power plant in Uzbekistan. It is also the first renewable energy project to be procured under the new public-private partnership law in the country. The support and technical assistance in the tender was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The wind power plant will be located in Uzbekistan’s Qoraoʻzak district. The district is located in the north west of the country, in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, which is an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan. The facility is expected to diversify the country’s energy portfolio and provide greater energy security. It will also enhance the delivery of carbon neutral energy in a cost effective manner.
The government of Uzbekistan has set a target of installing 5,000 MW of solar and 3,000 MW of wind energy by 2030. Through these targets, it will meet the objective of renewable energy taking more than a quarter of share in the country’s energy supply capacity by 2030. The assistance from EBRD for this project is part of a wider programme under which the bank is supporting the government of Uzbekistan in developing wind power capacity across the country. As of now, the EBRD has invested roughly €2.6 billion in 101 projects in Uzbekistan.
REGlobal’s Views: Uzbekistan has recently started focusing on decarbonising its power sector in a massive way. This has led to the entry of many large renewable energy developers and investors in the country’s power space.
