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Thursday, March 14, 2024

Uzbekistan's Takhiatash power plant to get upgrade with $300 million ADB loan

The Asian Development Bank announced on Tuesday that it has approved a $300 million loan to upgrade Uzbekistan's Takhiatash thermal power plan in order to meet the country's growing demand for electricity.

"Karakalpakstan and Khorezm regions are expecting electricity demand to grow at double the rate of the forecasted national average," Rune Stroem, the director of the energy division of the ADB's Central and West Asia department, said. "Reliable power supply is essential to meet the residential demand and for future industrial development and growth.This loan will help finance modern generating units to increase the reliability of power supply, save energy, and cut greenhouse gas emissions."

Uzbekistan's economy has grown by more than eight percent per year on average from 2007-2013, but aging power infrastructure dating back to the Soviet era has limited its ability to accommodate the demand for power.

The project will involve the construction of two new energy-efficient combined-cycle gas turbines of up to 280 megawatts each and the decommissioning of three existing turbine units.

It will also support staff training and other assistance for Uzbekenergo, the state-owned power utility, which needs to modernize its management and information technology systems. The project is expected to take six years, with a projected completion date of October 2020.