In April 2023, Masdar signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Government Support Agreement (GSA) with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to design, finance, build and operate the 250MWac Solar photovoltaic (PV) and 63MW/126MWh capacity of battery energy storage system (BESS) project (Project) in the Bukhara region, Uzbekistan, the first of its kind in the CIS region.
The project was awarded to Masdar under the International Finance Corporation’s Scaling Solar Programme Round 3, following a competitive tender featuring more than 10 pre-qualified bidders, with Masdar bidding the lowest tariff. The project is located in the Bukhara region and is scheduled to achieve commercial operations during Q4 2024. It will produce enough power for over 75,000 households and displace around 290,000 tonnes of CO2 yearly.
Masdar has multiple renewable energy projects at various stages of operation and development in Uzbekistan. Nur Navoi was the first Masdar project to begin operations in Uzbekistan in August 2021, and the company has since secured a number of additional projects including an agreement to develop, build and operate a 500MW wind farm in Zarafshan, set to be the largest in Central Asia.
With the addition of the Bukhara project, Masdar’s share of generation capacity in Uzbekistan will be ~1.8GW, and it is anticipated that all of this capacity will be in operation by the end of 2024.