Ten power stations have been built in Azerbaijan over the past seven years, increasing generating capacity by 1500 MW, and more are coming on stream soon, Etibar Pirverdiyev, the head of Azerbaijani power utility Azerenerji, has said.
He also said reconstruction and refurbishment work was continuing at a number of power plants, though work had been finished in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and eighth energy blocks at the Azerbaijan Thermal Power Station, with work on the sixth and seventh blocks about to finish.
"After this work, the station’s capacity will increase from 2000 MW to 2600 MW," Pirverdiyev said.
He said that refurbishment of the Mingachevir hydropower station was under way, while preparatory work had begun on reconstruction of the Varvara hydro power station.
Once the work is completed, the two power stations will have an additional 90 MW capacity.
Construction of the Janub (Canub-Southern) thermal power station has also begun. The power station will allow Azerbaijan to save 700 000 tonnes of fuel per year, Pirverdiyev said.
Meanwhile, construction of the Fuzuli hydro power station is due to be completed in mid-2011, while another hydro plant is planned for Tovuz.