Minister: Azerbaijan boosts electricity production with new power plants

Azerbaijan has increased its total electricity generation capacity to 9,732.5 MW, marking a rise of 1,317 MW, or 15.6%, compared with the same period last year.

Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov noted that the growth has been largely driven by the commissioning of the November 8 power plant, the largest in the country and the South Caucasus, with a capacity of 1,880 MW, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Shahbazov highlighted the importance of international partnerships in the energy sector, citing collaborations with Chinese and Italian firms.

Currently, Azerbaijan operates 24 thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 7,903 MW, 65 hydroelectric plants at 1,443.5 MW, nine solar plants producing 278.2 MW, five wind farms generating 63.5 MW, one waste-to-energy plant at 37 MW, and three hybrid plants totalling 7.3 MW.

Renewable energy, including hydro, now accounts for 1,829.6 MW, or around 18.8% of total generation capacity. The country’s electricity grid capacity has also risen to 29,714 MW.

Shahbazov said the growing generation capacity has strengthened Azerbaijan’s energy balance. Last year, the country produced 28.4 billion kWh of electricity, meeting 24.1 billion kWh of domestic demand and exporting 1.4 billion kWh, while imports amounted to 70.7 million kWh.

In the first nine months of this year, 21.8 billion kWh were generated, with exports of 989.6 million kWh and imports of 145 million kWh.

The minister noted that renewable energy is driving growth in electricity production. He cited the Garadag Solar Power Plant, with a capacity of 230 MW, which has increased solar energy output tenfold in nearly two years, producing 1 billion kWh in that period.

“This demonstrates that the plant is operating at full capacity and confirms that Azerbaijan’s ambitious targets for green energy are realistic and being steadily realised,” Shahbazov said.

By Aghakazim Guliyev