Economic observer Valentin Trapeznikov told CentralAsia.news about the electricity potential of Turkmenistan, which demonstrates high rates of development.
The indicators of 2020 demonstrate the high dynamics of the development of the electric power industry in Turkmenistan, the expert noted. Thus, following the results of 3 quarters, the country produced more than 19.3 billion kWh of electricity. The annual target is being completed ahead of schedule, and the increase in production compared to the same period last year is 16.3%. This is based on large-scale transformations and the attraction of significant domestic and foreign investments, which made it possible to build ultra-modern power plants in all regions of Turkmenistan without exception, multiply generating capacities, and lay thousands of kilometers of power lines.
The Concept for the Development of the Electricity Industry of Turkmenistan for 2013–2020 has given a significant impetus to the expansion of the country's electric power capacities.
The system of the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan currently operates 12 state power plants with a total capacity of 6,511.2 MW, numerous production power grid associations and construction and installation enterprises for laying power lines.
All electric power facilities, among which there are no analogues in the region, are being built on an innovative basis. Thus, in September 2018, the largest high-tech combined cycle power plant with a capacity of 1,574 MW was launched on the territory of the Mary HPP in September 2018. In this regard, the total capacity of the station has doubled.
The construction of 7 more large energy facilities is envisaged by the Program of Socio-Economic Development of Turkmenistan for 2019-2025.
In just three quarters of 2020, electricity exports amounted to more than 3.6 billion kWh. h. In general, for the period under review, the growth in exports of physical and cost volumes of electricity in comparison with the previous year amounted to 3.1 and 3.3 times, respectively.
The development of the electric power industry continues actively in the country, as evidenced by vivid examples. A new gas turbine power plant with a capacity of 432 MW in the Chardjevsky etrap of the Lebap province is being built by the Japanese companies “Sumitomo Corporation” and “Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems” and the Turkish “Rönesans Holding”.
In September last year, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the laying of two gas turbine power plants with a design capacity of 70 MW and the reconstruction of the existing power plant at the Turkmenbashy oil processing complex.
Of course, it should be noted the active interaction of Turkmenistan with Iran and Afghanistan, where Turkmen electricity is exported. In this context, the project for the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) transmission line is of paramount importance. In February 2020, the implementation of a project for the construction of a high-voltage power transmission line from the Mary hydroelectric station to the Afghan city of Herat began on the Turkmen section of the TAP, which, in addition to supplying power to all infrastructure facilities of this highway, will enable the export of electricity in transit through Afghanistan to Pakistan and other countries of South Asia.
Industry experts propose projects based on the use of solar and wind energy. Such projects of alternative power engineering have been taken into account and will be implemented during the construction of Ashgabat City and a modern village near the Turkmen lake “Altyn Asyr”.
Thus, the energy policy of Turkmenistan determines the priorities for the development of the national electric power industry for the coming decades and concrete steps to integrate the country into the global energy system, the source said.
