In the next 10 years Uzbekistan authorities have plans to build photovoltaic power plants (PVPS) with a total capacity of 5 thousand MW, the Ministry of Energy said.

To this end, the Ministry of Energy, with the assistance of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is currently taking steps to prepare tenders for these projects, which will be implemented through foreign direct investment.

Already 2 PV plants 100 MW each, are scheduled to be completed before 2022.

The Ministry of Energy, with the participation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is implementing the Scaling solar project for the construction of solar power plants under the public-private partnership terms. IFC has been hired as a lead consultant to assist in structuring and tendering solar projects.

In 2019, with the support of the IFC, the first stage of call for bids was held in Uzbekistan, the results of which were announced on October 4. The tender was held for the construction of the first 100 MW PVP in the Navoi province.

“At the initial stage of the tender, 23 companies from India, Spain, China, Norway, UAE, Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, South Africa, South Korea and Japan sent bids part, of which 11 companies were prequalified,” said the head of the Department for Generation Development based on Renewable Energy Sources (RES) of the Ministry of Energy Abdullajon Otaboev. - Bids were submitted by Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia), Jinko Power and Aljoimah Energy & Water Consortium (PRC / Saudi Arabia), Masdar (UAE), TBEA Xinjianing Sunoasis Co Ltd (China) and Total Eren (France).

The World Bank’s Scaling Solar programme, the sponsors of the PPP, explained earlier this year Masdar was chosen out of the shortlist thanks to its bid of US$0.027/kWh.

The tariff, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) said when Masdar’s victory emerged in October, is "one of the lowest” seen to date in emerging markets.

The project is financed through a guarantee of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, amounting to US$ 5.1 million, and IFC’s US$ 41 million loan. The project will also be the first World Bank guarantee operation in Uzbekistan.

Masdar will also perform designing, financing, building and running of a 500 MW wind farm in the Navoi province.

The wind farm project is planned to be launched before 2022 with the commissioning of the first stage of generating capacities (up to 250 MW) in April 2023 and all capacities before 2025.