In line with the ongoing industrialization programs in Turkmenistan, large-scale industrial enterprises have been constructed and are continuing to be built. These, along with numerous social and other facilities, require reliable and uninterrupted power supply.
Today, under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the effective steps initiated by Hero-Arkadag towards the comprehensive modernization and strengthening of the sector's material and technical base are being successfully implemented. Thanks to the substantial investments made in its development in recent years, the production capacity of the energy industry has significantly increased, allowing for the full satisfaction of the country's internal energy needs, as well as the growing volumes of electricity exports year by year.
The steady growth of this sector is evidenced by the fact that, according to the results of the first half of this year, the Ministry of Energy fulfilled its plan for production and completed work at a level of 108.4 percent.
According to the Concept for the Development of the Electric Power Industry, modern gas turbine power plants equipped with advanced equipment from well-known global manufacturers have been built across the country. High-voltage power lines, distribution substations, and the power supply systems of the capital and other cities and towns have been upgraded.
As part of the ongoing work to strengthen and modernize the material and technical base of the industry, its infrastructure has been supplemented in recent years by gas turbine power plants, including those built in the city of Ashgabat and Ahal, Balkan, Lebap, and Dashoguz provinces. The first combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in the country was commissioned at the Mary Power Plant.
Currently, a 1,574-megawatt combined-cycle power plant is under construction in the Turkmenbashi district of the Balkan province. In November last year, a foundation-laying ceremony for this plant was held with the participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
This facility will become the second-largest power plant in the country, ensuring reliable energy supply to one of the dynamically industrializing provinces – the Balkan province. The surplus electricity generated here can be fed into the unified national power grid and supplied to neighboring countries.
The commissioning of the Energy Equipment Repair and Service Center in the Buzmein district of Ashgabat has opened up broad opportunities for the uninterrupted operation of power plants.
Turkmenistan places great emphasis on the production of renewable energy resources. The construction of a multi-purpose solar and wind power plant in the Balkan province will provide environmentally friendly electricity to the modern villages being built in the area. Large-scale work in this direction is expected to continue in the future.
To distribute the country's energy capacities among the regions and achieve optimal functioning of power lines, the creation of a ring network system has been prioritized. Effective measures are being taken to achieve these goals.
In 2021, the construction of the Ahal–Balkan section, the first phase of this project, was completed. The second phase of the project – the Mary–Ahal section – was commissioned in 2023.
In the Year of “The Wisdom Treasury of Magtymguly Pyragy,” the third phase of this project was completed, including the commissioning of the Balkan–Dashoguz section. As part of this phase, the 500-kilovolt Balkan and Dashoguz substations were also constructed.
All work on the construction of the 572-kilometer-long Balkan–Dashoguz power line was carried out by local builders with extensive experience.
The implementation of this important project has made Turkmenistan one of the first countries in Central Asia to create a unified ring power system, ensuring the reliability of the national grid through mutual backup between the power systems of the regions and Ashgabat. This allows for the maintenance and modernization of power units, substations, and power lines without affecting consumers.
Turkmenistan, in line with its policy of diversifying and modernizing the national economy by incorporating the latest technologies and scientific advancements, actively pursues close and fruitful partnerships with all interested parties – foreign countries, international organizations, and leading global energy companies.
In this context, since the beginning of this year, meetings have been held to discuss a wide range of issues related to the implementation of major projects in Turkmenistan's energy sector.
On April 4–5, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, paid an official visit to the Republic of Tajikistan.
As a result of Hero-Arkadag's negotiations with President Emomali Rahmon, important agreements were reached, and a package of bilateral documents was signed.
One of the promising areas of cooperation proposed by Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is the energy sector. Specifically, this involves the supply of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan via Uzbekistan. This topic was previously discussed with President Emomali Rahmon during a meeting in Ashgabat in August last year as part of the Summit of the Heads of State of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It was noted that the two countries have experience in energy cooperation.
The Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty confirmed Turkmenistan's readiness to resume this cooperation on a systematic basis and to discuss in detail the technical, organizational, and other issues related to the supply of electricity and natural gas.
On June 25 of this year, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with the Federal Minister of Industries and Production of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Rana Tanvir Hussain.
Consistent progress characterizes the trade and economic partnership, with priority areas including industry, energy, and transportation, where there is significant potential. In this context, it was emphasized that our countries are actively participating in the implementation of major regional energy and communication projects. These include the construction of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) transnational gas pipeline, as well as power lines and fiber-optic communication lines along the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (TAP) route.
During the meeting between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and the Federal Minister of Industries and Production of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Rana Tanvir Hussain, it was expressed that the successful implementation of these large-scale infrastructure projects would stimulate steady socio-economic growth in the region and contribute to its peaceful and sustainable development.
The expansion of interstate contacts, particularly the implementation of the TAPI transnational gas pipeline project, the laying of power lines, and fiber-optic communication lines along the TAP route, was also a focal point during the July 23 meeting of the co-chairs of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
As emphasized by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the Turkmen state will continue to take concrete steps aimed at the restoration of Afghanistan's economy and social infrastructure. This is confirmed by the constructive initiatives put forward by Turkmenistan at the UN General Assembly sessions and other major international forums, which have received broad support from the global community.
On July 31, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar.
During the meeting, the head of state highlighted the significance of cooperation between the two countries in energy, industry, transport, communications, and other fields.
In particular, an important topic of negotiations was the supply of electricity from Turkmenistan to Turkey. It was emphasized that in the future, it is planned to export electricity in the Turkish direction from the power plant currently under construction on the Turkmen shore of the Caspian Sea.
As is known, Turkish partners, together with global energy companies, have implemented several projects in our country for the construction and commissioning of modern power plants that produce electricity for both domestic and export markets.
As part of the scheduled activities, the delegation that arrived in Turkmenistan, led by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar, held meetings with the heads of the State Corporation "Türkmengeologiýa" and the Ministry of Energy of the country.
The discussions focused on the prospects and opportunities for enhancing interstate cooperation in strategic sectors such as the fuel and energy complex and the power industry.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov once again emphasized Turkmenistan's readiness to work with Central Asian countries in the energy sector during the sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held on August 9 in Astana.
In his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that, in modern conditions, the role of Central Asian states in international energy cooperation and meeting the objective demands for energy resources in the region is increasing.
The strategic goal is to meet the growing energy needs of the Central Asian countries, taking into account the presence and future emergence of new industrial and agricultural capacities, infrastructure facilities, and joint production projects. Such a system should provide Central Asian countries with a safeguard against potential negative scenarios in the global energy market, minimize their impact, and create the necessary resilience in national energy systems in the event of unforeseen man-made and natural circumstances.
The targeted steps taken in our country under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov towards the comprehensive modernization and strengthening of the material and technical base of the power industry, as well as the training of highly qualified specialists for the sector, are aimed at ensuring the sustainable growth and diversification of the national economy, accelerated industrialization of the country, dynamic regional development, and the further integration of Turkmenistan into the global energy system.
Source: TDH
