Uzbekistan Launches 200 MW Solar PV Tender

• Uzbekistan has issued an EOI to ascertain interest among developer-investors for 200 MW AC PV capacity
• This will be developed in Surkhandarya region of Sherabad district having the best solar irradiation in the country
• The tender is part of 1 GW PV capacity that ADB is helping the country set up under PPP model
• JSC National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan will sign off-take agreement with the winner for a period of 25 years

The Uzbekistan Ministry of Energy is seeking interested private developers-investors for a minimum 200 MW (AC) solar PV capacity to be developed in the country's Sherabad district of Surkhandarya region. This is the initial tender out of 1 GW PV capacity that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is helping Uzbekistan as its transaction advisory provider under the Solar Program.

The 200 MW project will be structured in a public private partnership (PPP) model and will sell power generated to the JSC National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan (NENU) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The job description for interested private developer-investors includes setting up a new 220 kV substation and a 52 km transmission line to connect to the Surkhan 220 kV substation, apart from designing, financing, building, owning and operating the project.

The energy ministry emphasized the 200 MW project holds strategic importance for the government as it is the 'first major power project' to be developed in Surkhandarya region which is currently supplied power from other regions of the country. Surkhandarya also has the best solar irradiance in the entire nation, it claims. 

This is an expression of interest (EOI) and will be followed up with the tender that ADB is assisting the Uzbek government with. Last date to submit EOI documents is February 22, 2020. Details of the project and EOI can be viewed on the ministry's website. 

Timeline

As per the timeline of the tender process, the request for qualification (RFQ) round will be launched in March 2020, and pre-qualified bidders will be announced the following month. A request for proposals (RFP) can be expected in May 2020 to be submitted by July 2020, while  winners will be announced in August 2020. According to the ministry, it expects PPAs with the winners to be signed in September 2020.

Standardized project and bidding documents prepared for this 200 MW tender will act as blueprint for future tenders under the ADB supported 1 GW Solar Program. 

Uzbekistan is also a participant in the Scaling Solar initiative of the World Bank Group, implemented by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In its inaugural Scaling Solar auction in October 2019, Uzbekistan awarded Masdar with the contract to build 100 MW PV capacity and signed a mandate with the IFC to tender two projects of 200 MW each and one with 500 MW as part of the initiative (see Uzbekistan To Tender 900 MW PV Under PPP Model).  

Under the Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) Power Masterplan, the country aims to implement up to 5 GW of solar power capacity by 2030 with a view to enhance the country's energy security with cost-effective and environment friendly renewable energy projects.