Masdar has signed an Implementation Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to extend the capacity of its utility-scale wind farm project – the first such project in Uzbekistan – to up to 1.5 gigawatts (GW).  (Photo quoted from Masdar’s website)

Masdar entered into bilateral agreements with the Government of Uzbekistan  last year to develop, build and operate the 500-megawatt (MW) wind farm project, its second utility-scale clean energy project in the country, and the largest wind farm in Central Asia. The project will attract foreign direct investment of more than US$600 million. 

Extending the capacity of the project, located in the Zarafshan district of the Navoi region, to as much as 1.5 GW will further help Uzbekistan achieve its objectives of adding up to 3 GW of wind energy and meeting 25 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by the end of the decade. 

The 500 MW Zarafshan wind farm is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2024. At a capacity of 500 MW, the project would provide enough electricity to power 500,000 homes, while displacing 1.1 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. 

Masdar signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Investment Agreement for the Zarafshan wind farm  with the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan and JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan in June last year. 

Last December, Masdar announced financial close on the 100 MW Nur Navoi Solar Project – Uzbekistan’s first successfully-financed independent power producer (IPP) solar project. Masdar signed a PPA and Government Support Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in November 2019 to design, finance, build and operate the solar plant. Masdar was announced as the winning bidder for the solar project after tendering the lowest tariff of 2.679 US cents per kilowatt hour in a competitive auction.

In March 2019, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, attended an exchange of agreements, focused on the energy sector, between the Republic of Uzbekistan and Mubadala Investment Company. Official documents were also exchanged pertaining to agreements between Masdar, JSC Uzbekenergo and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade to pursue renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan.

(IRuniverse)