BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. France has
welcomed the opening of the 126-megawatt Sarimay solar power plant
in Uzbekistan’s Khorezm region, describing the project as a
flagship example of French-Uzbek energy cooperation on Sept.19.
This was reflected in the statement by the French Embassy in
Uzbekistan.
According to the information, the Embassy congratulated French
renewable energy company Voltalia and its Uzbek and international
partners on the launch of the solar facility.
The embassy said the plant will provide electricity to more than
60,000 people, highlighting the project’s contribution to
Uzbekistan’s energy transition. The Sarimay plant was developed as
part of cooperation between France and Uzbekistan in the energy
sector and was implemented with support from the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The French Embassy praised the speed with which the project was
developed and brought into operation, as well as the attention
given to its environmental and social impact.
Moreover, the embassy described the facility as a flagship
project of French-Uzbek cooperation in the energy sector and said
its launch demonstrates the commitment of French companies to
supporting Uzbekistan’s transition toward cleaner energy.
“Congratulations to the Voltalia teams and all their Uzbek and
international partners on this remarkable joint success,” the
French Embassy said.
The Sarimay plant is part of a broader portfolio of
Uzbekistan-France energy projects, which
exceeded $4 billion as of July, according to Uzbekistan’s Energy
Ministry. Three major projects involving French companies were then
valued at about $2 billion, while six additional prospective
projects were estimated at $1.8 billion.
According to Trend’s calculations, the $4 billion Uzbekistan-France
energy portfolio reported in July was more than 31 times the 126 MW
capacity of the Sarimay solar plant when comparing the headline
investment figure with the plant’s generation capacity. The three
major French projects valued at about $2 billion accounted for
roughly 50% of the overall portfolio, while the six prospective
projects worth $1.8 billion represented another 45%. Together,
these nine projects made up about 95% of the reported portfolio
value.
French companies are involved in both conventional
and renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan. EDF is participating
in projects to develop combined-cycle gas turbine power plants in
the Syrdarya and Surkhandarya regions with a
combined capacity of more than 3.1 gigawatts. TotalEnergies and
Voltalia are involved in renewable energy projects, including solar
and wind generation and energy storage systems.
Earlier discussions between Uzbek and French
officials also covered high-voltage transmission networks, energy
storage, modern energy infrastructure, gas transportation
infrastructure, energy efficiency, digital technologies,
engineering cooperation, and specialist training.
