Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 2 April, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov, together with the leadership of the Emirati company "Masdar" represented by Director General Mohamed Jamil al-Ramahi, studied the construction progress of the first Uzbekistan photovoltaic plant with a capacity of 100 MW in Karmana district of Navoi region.

During a visit to the production site of Nur Navoi Solar, established by an Emirati investor and the operator of the project, the parties were familiarized with the construction and installation work carried out at the facility, which began in the third quarter of 2020, the progress achieved and plans for the near future.

Currently, the facility with a total area of 268 hectares is working on the installation of technological equipment, panels, inverters and transformers. Commissioning of the photovoltaic power plant is expected by September 1 of this year.

The volume of direct Emirati investments attracted within the framework of the project is about US$100 million, and the launch of the photoelectric power station will ensure the generation of electricity in the amount of 260 million kWh per year.

On 4 October 2019, the Emirati company became the winner of the first tender in the history of Uzbekistan to select a foreign investor to attract investments in public-private partnerships (PPPs) in solar energy. Masdar offered one of the lowest tariffs in the world at 2.67 US cents per kWh. According to an investment agreement signed with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade in November 2019, Masdar has committed to design, finance and build a photovoltaic power plant and operate it for 25 years.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) was hired as a consultant on the transaction, which assisted the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade in developing the relevant documentation and holding tenders, in which more than 40 companies from different countries took part.

Following the visit, the parties discussed further steps for the high-quality and timely implementation of the project and expressed their commitment to provide comprehensive support in resolving issues that may arise during the construction and launch of the photovoltaic power plant.