Following agreements signed hydrogen deal in March 2020, cooperation between the Uzbekistan Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, and ACWA Power has led to three major milestones in the development of power projects to enable Uzbekistan’s ambitious energy transformation plan and increase energy capacity by 2500MW.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the 1500MW Sirdarya CCGT plant, followed by the signing of two Power Purchase Agreements and Investment Agreements for two wind power plants located in Bukhara and Navoi, was conducted in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Sardor Umurzakov, and H.E. Alisher Sultanov, Energy Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as a Saudi Arabian delegation led by H.E. Eng Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment for Saudi Arabia and H.E. Hisham Mishal Al- Suwailem, the Saudi Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
Other attendees included senior representatives from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, ACWA Power and Air Products.
ACWA Power will be delivering these three projects utilising its technical knowledge, expertise, and experience, to contribute directly to meeting Uzbekistan’s growing yearly electricity demand, which is expected to reach 110 billion kWh by 2030.
The company’s contribution is also aligned with Uzbekistan’s national mandate to increase energy efficiency, introduce energy-saving technologies, and develop and implement renewable energy sources, under its recent energy sector reforms.
These visionary projects mark the start of a new chapter in the investment relationship between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
H.E. Eng Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment for Saudi Arabia
“As the Minister of Investment for Saudi Arabia, it is particularly pleasing to see a homegrown Saudi company such as ACWA Power supporting Uzbekistan to deliver such a vital component of its infrastructure investment program, which is central to the country’s economic transformation. The Ministry of Investment for Saudi Arabia is proud to have played a leading role in facilitating this momentous agreement”
“ACWA Power is a true Saudi success story and a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s burgeoning private sector. This growth is being supported by various business-friendly reforms introduced by the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade. I am confident that this partnership signals the start of further collaborations in the trade and investment space for both of our nations.”
His Excellency also praised the prominent role the Ministry of Energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia played to facilitate the agreements signed, encouraging Uzbekistan to benefit from the expertise of the Saudi Ministry of Energy in the field of energy – particularly clean and renewable energy.
Most importantly, milestones show that we are delivering on our promises. Enhancing Uzbekistan’s clean energy capacity involves many developmental and investment targets to be hit, over a period of time.
By executing our plans efficiently, we will only attract more investment to Uzbekistan, and improve our nation’s energy status. The Ministry extends its deep thanks to ACWA Power and the wider Saudi delegation for making this triumph happen. We look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship
ACWA Power is also committed to training and upskilling 1000 local employees in Uzbekistan during the project’s construction and operation phases, generating long-term, socio-economic value through knowledge sharing and job creation.
“As a proud Saudi company, we are privileged to play a vital role in supporting Uzbekistan’s decarbonisation efforts and energy transformation, stemming from the international cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan under their progressive and visionary leadership,” says Mohammad Abunayyan, ACWA Power Chairman
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Saudi delegation, led by H.E. Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Minister of Investment, and H.E. Hisham Mishal Al-Suwailem, the Saudi Ambassador to Uzbekistan for their valuable support of these projects.”
“We also extend our gratitude to the Republic of Uzbekistan’s Government, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade for their confidence in ACWA Power’s mission to safely, reliably and responsibly produce power at low cost”
“Through the addition of new renewable energy capacity, exploration of innovative technologies and the advancement of cleaner, more efficient and cost-competitive gas power, ACWA Power is expanding its presence in Uzbekistan, a high growth market, leveraging our global expertise and technical know-how to create long-term and sustainable value for the country’s local communities.”
Key Takeaways
✔️ New developments on three major power projects with a combined investment value of $2.5 billion and capacity of 2500MW
✔️ Official ground-breaking ceremony held for 1500MW CCGT power plant at the Sirdarya site
✔️ Two Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and Investment Agreements signed for two wind power plants in Bukhara and Navoi, with aggregate power generation capacity of 1000MW
✔️ The Uzbekistan Ministry of Energy, ACWA Power and Air Products have entered into a strategic framework agreement to enable research programs in the fields of renewable energy and hydrogen
✔️ Senior Government Officials and Representatives from Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and ACWA Power attended Tashkent & Sirdarya ceremonies
THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND ACWA POWER ACHIEVE MOMENTOUS MILESTONES AS UZBEKISTAN ENHANCES ITS CLEAN ENERGY CAPACITY, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, January 25, 2021
