Uzbekistan's Joint-Stock Company (JSC) National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan (NEGU) has agreed to purchase power from 1.4 GW solar PV and 1.5 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. It signed power purchase agreements (PPA) with Saudi Arabian developer ACWA Power, providing certainty to the plans announced earlier this month (see Uzbekistan Bags Deals For 2.6 GW Solar & Storage).
ACWA Power will build a 400 MW solar PV plant and 500 MWh BESS capacity in Tashkent. In Samarkand 2 projects of 500 MW each and a 500 MWh BESS will be stationed. Remaining 500 MWh of BESS will be located in Bukhara. Battery storage projects are aimed at mitigating the intermittency factor and ensure constant supply of electricity to the grid.
"By incorporating BESS into the grid, Uzbekistan will soon have the largest battery energy storage facilities in the region which will play a crucial role in stabilizing the grid while promoting renewable energy in the Republic," stated ACWA Power. The company has also secured investment agreements with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade for these projects.
"With our total investment commitments of $7.5 billion in energy projects, we are determined to remain a key partner in achieving Uzbekistan's energy diversification goals," said ACWA Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan.
Uzbekistan targets 10 GW of solar power and 5 GW of wind energy by 2030 to achieve 35% share of electricity from renewables in its electricity mix.