The Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a loan of $ 500 million to support the transport network of Turkmenistan, increase the reliability of the country's energy supply and increase electricity exports to neighboring countries.
According to ADB, the project aims to cover four of the country's five regions, help create a reliable national network, increase the country’s potential for electricity trade with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and increase the volume of current electricity exports to Afghanistan.
The loan will be directed to the construction of about 1,100 km of new 110 kV, 220 kV and 500 kV power lines in various regions of Turkmenistan and the expansion of three existing substations. The project will also finance the construction of new substations, including 500 kV substations in the Balkan and Dashoguz provinces, as well as 220 kV substations in Ahal, on the Balkans and Dashoguz.
The total cost of the project, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2023, will be $ 675 million, $ 175 million will be invested by “Turkmenenergo”.
It is noted that Turkmenistan is one of the richest countries in the world with energy resources. The country ranks 12th in the production of natural gas in the world and 10th in the production of oil in the Asia-Pacific region. As for natural gas reserves, the country ranks fourth after Russia, Iran and Qatar.
