Uzbekistan connects first phase of 511 MW solar project

The first phases of two power plants in Uzbekistan with a combined installed capacity of 511 MW have been connected to the grid for power generation.

The Samarkand and Jizzakh solar power plants, located in eastern Uzbekistan, were developed and built by Masdar and contracted by International Cooperation Co Ltd., a subsidiary of Dongfang Electric Corp.

The plants feature 11,248 sets of Vanguard 1P trackers, supplied by Chinese manufacturer TrinaTracker.

TrinaTracker said its Vanguard 1P tracker is adaptable to diverse terrains, delivering high energy yield and reliability while reducing investment costs. It claims the contracted tube design and patented spherical bearings cut installation times by 20%.

Once fully connected to the grid, the Samarkand and Jizzakh plants will generate 1.12 billion kWh a year, powering 240,000 households and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 million tons a year.

Historically, Uzbekistan has been reliant on thermal power and has faced frequent power outages, but its solar deployment has accelerated in recent times.

Figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency show that Uzbekistan had 3.5 MW of installed solar in 2020, 103.5 MW in 2021, and 252.5 MW in 2022. The country aims to deploy 8 GW by 2030.

In March 2023, Saudi Arabian energy giant ACWA Power said it had secured several power purchase agreements totaling 1.4 GW of solar power and 1.5 GWh of storage capacity in Uzbekistan.