Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Azerbaijan's main electricity producer Azerenergy JSC will put into operation the second combined cycle power plant at the Shimal power plant in the first quarter of 2015, Head of Azerenergy JSC, Etibar Pirverdiyev, said on October 20.

He added that the Shimal power plant plays an important role in Absheron peninsula's total power supply.

"The work on the construction of the new unit is underway and it will be commissioned by June 2015," Pirverdiyev noted.

The new unit is being constructed pursuant to an agreement signed with Japan's Toyo Engineering Corporation. The new plant's capacity will be 409 megawatts in total.

Pirverdiyev said over 10,000 kilometers of power supply lines, more than 1,500 substations and about 8 small hydro power plants have been repaired and constructed in Azerbaijan in recent years. "The work on construction of small hydro power plants is underway and several facilities of this kind will be commissioned before long," he added.

Today, the Shimal power plant meets around 25 percent of Baku and Absheron's power need. The figure will reach 35-40 percent as soon as the second unit is commissioned.

The Shimal power plant is currently consisted of one combined cycle power plant with the capacity of 400 megawatts.

The capacity of Azerbaijan's total power supply system has increased by 40 percent over the last ten years and hit 7,100 megawatts, which allows to export some 2,300 megawatts of the electricity.

Azerbaijan's present electricity capacity is based on 14 thermal and 10 hydro power plants .The South Caucasus country carries out power exchange with its neighboring states such as Georgia, Iran and Russia.