Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed a founding agreement as part of the project of a Green Power Corridor to Europe, the press service of the Ministry of Energy said.
The deal was signed by the operators of the main power grids of the three countries - Azerbaijan's Azerenerji, Kazakhstan's KEGOC and the National Electric Grids of Uzbekistan - via video conference call on December 27.
The document is eyed at implementing the agreement entered into by the leaders of the three countries on November 13, as well as expanding the opportunities for trading with power, taking into account new initiatives, such as the European Union's Green Deal (a plan to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions and total environmental pollution by 2050).
The parties announced a joint venture in Baku (Azerbaijan) to implement the project. The Italian company CESI has been hired as consultant and develop a feasibility study for the project.
Background: From 2030, Uzbekistan plans to export surplus green power generated in the country to Europe via Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
In July, in Astana, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a MoM on the project to create a Central Asia - Azerbaijan - Europe green power corridor. A memorandum of cooperation on the integration of power grids was signed in the spring at an investment forum in Tashkent.
Azerbaijan intends to lay a cable along the bottom of the Black Sea to connect Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the Caspian and Black Seas with a single power corridor.
Deputy Minister of Energy Umid Mamadaminov on the sidelines of the European Economy Days in Tashkent on November 6 said that in 2030, Uzbekistan will be able to export 10-15 billion kWh of electricity abroad.
It is predicted that in 2030, the demand for power [in Uzbekistan] will reach 120-125 billion kWh. We have many generating facilities - about 135 billion kWh. All excess capacity will be exported to Europe as soon as the infrastructure is ready, he underscored then.
In August, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov said that the volume of electricity exports to European countries will depend on the capacity of the cable and the desire of partners. The head of the Ministry of Energy said that Uzbekistan fully covers the demand for electricity, accordingly, the country is ready to supply from 2 to 5 GW of power to Europe.
