Ground was broken at the Nukus project in a formal ceremony attended by a number of Uzbekistan’s government ministers and other dignitaries.

Alisher Sultanov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, commented:

“The development of green energy and market reform go hand in hand in Uzbekistan. The Nukus project is a milestone both for our wind industry and the new public-private partnership model, introduced by the far-sighted reforms of President Mirziyoyev. Commissioned by our trusted partner ACWA Power, the Nukus wind plant is another pillar of Uzbekistan’s sustainable and secure energy grid.”

Mohammad A. Abunayyan, Chairman of ACWA Power, said:

“Laying the cornerstone of the Nukus plant comes shortly after the signing of the official purchase agreements. It is an affirmation to supporting the ambitious vision of the leadership of the Republic of Uzbekistan to enhance the potential of the Uzbek energy sector. At ACWA Power, we are honoured to add this pioneering project to our portfolio, especially for its precedence and leadership in more than one aspect in the energy sector of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”

The Nukus project is Uzbekistan’s first open, competitive tender in the wind energy sector. ACWA Power’s winning bid of US$2.5695 cents/kwh was the lowest of 11 competing bidders, making the project the company’s fourth facility in Uzbekistan.

Contributing 1.25% of Uzbekistan’s overall renewable energy goals, the Nukus project will power 120 000 Uzbek households and offset 200 000 tpy of CO2 emissions. The wind turbine generators used will have capacity of over 5 MW each, due to advanced design and technology.

The project is an important part of Uzbekistan’s strategy to diversify the country’s energy mix and increase renewable energy capacity in line with recent strategic reforms. The Ministry of Energy is targeting an 8 GW capacity for solar and wind energy by 2026.