ACWA Power, a Saudi Arabian company, has installed Central Asia’s largest wind turbine. The firm is the world’s largest private water desalination firm, a leader in energy transition, and a mover of green hydrogen. The 500MW Bash wind farm project is located in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan. ACWA Power has an impressive portfolio in Uzbekistan, totaling $7.5 billion in investment.
The wind turbine generator (WTG) manufactured by Envision, has a capacity of 6.5MW. The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) responsibilities for setting up the wind turbine and generator were undertaken by China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), the contracted entity. On December 7, 2022, CEEC secured the EPC agreement for both the 500MW wind projects located in Bash and Dzhankeldy.
ACWA Power’s Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Kashif Rana said: “The successful installation of the first turbine on the Bash wind farm is just one of the many milestones that we are excited to mark on this project. Most importantly, the steady progress takes us closer to supporting and contributing to Uzbekistan’s long-term ambitions to increase the share of renewables in their energy mix.”
Read more: Wind energy projects in the region are growing
The Bash wind farm will include 79 WTGs. The farm will generate over 1,650 GWh of electricity, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 750 tons per year. The project should be complete by the first quarter of 2025.
ACWA Power holds a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan for this initiative. In Uzbekistan, ACWA Power manages a substantial collection of 10 projects, valued at US$ 7.5 billion. These consistent investments emphasize the company’s commitment to fostering sustainable progress within Uzbekistan’s energy sector.
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