Azerbaijan seeks expanded regional energy connections, deputy minister says

Azerbaijan’s relatively small electricity system requires deeper integration with neighbouring power grids to improve flexibility and resilience, a senior energy official has said.

Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Sultanov said the country currently has only limited connections to international energy networks, restricting its ability to balance supply and demand through cross-border trade, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Speaking at panel discussions during the second day of Baku Energy Week, Sultanov said smaller power systems benefit from strong interconnections that allow them to export surplus electricity and import power during periods of shortage.

“If a power system is small, it should have strong connections with other systems,” he said. “This allows surplus energy to be exported and imported during periods of shortage.”

He added that Azerbaijan’s existing interconnection capacity remains constrained, and argued that expanding energy interconnectors would be key to improving system efficiency and energy security.

“The development of energy interconnectors will play an important role in addressing this issue,” he said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev