Syrdarya-2 power plant to start strengthening Uzbekistan's grid this winter, EDF says

Cédric Lebouche, EDF's executive vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, told a meeting Mirziyoyev held with fuel and energy investors on October 16 that the 1,600 MW Syrdarya-2 gas plant will start strengthening Uzbekistan's energy system this winter.

Lebouche said construction of the 1,600 MW Surkhandarya combined-cycle plant, built with Siemens and Nebras, is 75 percent complete. EDF has also signed a memorandum with Eolus for a 500 MW wind power project near Bukhara that includes an energy storage system. He added that EDF is interested in taking part in modernising Uzbekistan's electricity grids through public-private partnership.

Syrdarya-2 is located in Boyovut district of Syrdarya region and is being built by a consortium of France's EDF, Qatar's Nebras Power, and Japan's Sojitz and Kyuden. On September 25, during commissioning tests, 1,600 MW at the plant tripped in an emergency, causing power outages in several regions. In July, Mirziyoyev criticised the plant's site selection, saying an extra $300 million would be needed to supply it with gas.