Turkmenistan has completed construction of its national ring power transmission system with the inauguration of the Balkan-Dashoguz high-voltage line on Wednesday, 5 June 2024. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov led the commissioning ceremony held in Dashoguz province, which also included the launch of two 500 kV substations.
This unified ring system strengthens the country’s internal power grid. Mutual redundancy between provincial and Ashgabat’s power systems allows for repairs and upgrades to power plants, substations, and transmission lines without impacting consumers.
The increased power capacity ensures a reliable domestic electricity supply from Turkmenistan’s power plants and enables the export of surplus electricity, primarily to neighboring countries.
The project was implemented in stages:
• The first stage: the Akhal–Balkan high-voltage transmission line, launched in October 2021.
• The second stage: Mary–Akhal power line, launched in November 2023.
• The third stage: Balkan–Dashoguz power line.
Addressing at the opening ceremony, the President of Turkmenistan noted: “Based on the Program “Revival of a new era of a powerful state: The National Program of Socio-economic Development of Turkmenistan in 2022-2052″, as well as the Program of socio-economic development of the country in 2022-2028, work is being successfully carried out on the development of the energy sector.”
“In accordance with the Programs, it is planned to transfer the existing power plants in the country to a combined cycle and build new combined power plants. Currently, a combined power plant with a capacity of 1,574 megawatts is being built in the Turkmenbashi district of the Balkan province. In order to increase the volume and routes of supplies of Turkmen electric energy to foreign countries, the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan power transmission line construction project is being successfully implemented,” he added.
The head of state said that the construction of a multi-purpose solar and wind power plant in the Balkan province has now entered the final stage.
All 572 kilometers of the Balkan-Dashoguz transmission line were constructed by Turkmenistan’s own electric power industry companies.
International recognition
During the event, the Minister of Energy of Turkmenistan was awarded international certificates confirming the high quality of equipment and work on the construction of a single ring power system.
• Certificate confirming the high quality of the equipment used in the construction of the ring energy system – from the Fraunhofer Institute of Energy Economics and Technology of Energy Systems (Germany).
• Certificate confirming the high efficiency of the engineering work from the University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)
• Certificate confirming the high-tech and safety of substations in the ring grid – from the DEKRA Institute (Germany), which is a member of the Energy Charter. ///nCa, 6 June 2024 (photo credit – TDH)