The World Bank approved a decade-long programme to develop electricity markets and integrate power systems across Central Asia, the organisation said. In the first phase, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will receive $143.2 mln.
Of that total, the World Bank’s International Development Association will provide $140 mln, while $3.2 mln will come from the Central Asia Water and Energy Programme. The REMIT initiative will be implemented in three stages and aims to expand regional electricity trade and integrate renewable energy sources.
The programme is designed to use the region’s complementary energy resources, including hydroelectric power in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, thermal generation in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and solar and wind potential.
By 2035, the plan seeks to raise annual electricity trade to at least 15,000 gigawatt-hours, increase grid transmission capacity to 16 gigawatts and integrate up to 9 gigawatts of clean energy.
The total financing for the programme is estimated at around $1 bn. The World Bank says deeper energy integration could bring Central Asian countries up to $15 bn in economic benefits by 2050, through more reliable power supply and lower electricity costs for businesses and households.
Kursiv also reports that Uzbekistan’s energy system recorded a winter peak load of 13 gigawatts (GW) on January 20 at 17:42.
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