Azerbaijan expands green energy grid with “Shafag” substation launch in Jabrayil PHOTO

On May 9, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, attended the opening of the 330 kV “Shafag” substation belonging to "AzerEnerji" OJSC, located in the village of Soltanli in the Jabrayil district.

Balababa Rzayev, Chairman of "AzerEnerji", briefed the President on the project. He stated that extensive infrastructure works have been carried out by the government to integrate the 240-megawatt “Shafag” Solar Power Plant (SPP) into the national electricity grid. Constructed by bp in Jabrayil, the facility is the first utility-scale solar power plant and the largest direct foreign investment in the liberated territories, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Within the framework of the project, AzerEnerji built a 330 kV digital substation in Jabrayil. In order to connect it to the national grid, a 7.5-kilometer, 330 kV double-circuit high-voltage transmission line was laid to the “Jabrayil” Energy Hub. This infrastructure functions as a strategic link for the nationwide distribution of green energy.

The substation is fitted with advanced digital systems, open and closed switchgear, and a Digital Control Center. A micro-SCADA dispatch system has been installed at the center to ensure remote monitoring and control, fully integrated into the central SCADA system.

Personnel working at the substation were mainly selected from the recently resettled local population and received specialized training prior to employment. In accordance with the President’s “Great Return” strategy, priority is given to employing local residents at all energy facilities constructed by AzerEnerji in the liberated territories.

The main goals of integrating the “Shafag” Solar Power Plant into the energy system are to strengthen public-private cooperation, reduce carbon emissions, save natural gas, increase the share of green energy, and further enhance energy security.

In parallel with this project, a new 220 kV substation has also been completed to supply the Sangachal Terminal with renewable energy. As a result, the gas-fired power plant at the terminal will be decommissioned. Solar energy produced in Jabrayil will be transmitted to the national grid and directed to the Sangachal Terminal in a balanced way. By shutting down the 140 MW modular gas-fired plant at the terminal, around 500 million kWh of annual demand will be covered by renewable sources, saving more than 120–150 million cubic meters of natural gas per year. This will lead to an annual reduction of 260,000–330,000 tons of CO2 emissions from bp’s operations in the Caspian region.

The President was also informed about the parallel development of green and traditional energy sources.

The digital transformation of the energy system has already begun to produce tangible results. This trend has been especially visible in April and May during periods of high water flow, strong sunlight, and wind. On certain days, 36% to 41% of total electricity consumption in the country was supplied by green energy.

For instance, on April 20, out of a total generation of 64.4 million kWh, 36.5% came from renewable sources. Of this, 15.9 million kWh was generated by hydropower plants (including those in the liberated territories), while 7.6 million kWh came from solar and wind facilities. As a result of these measures, the share of green energy in the power system reaches up to 41% during certain hours.