Delegation of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development visited Ministry of Energy

A meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Energy Samir Valiyev and the delegation headed by Aida Sitdikova, Director for Energy and Natural Resources for Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) visiting our country within the 6^th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council. At the meeting, the satisfaction of the level of cooperation with the EBRD in the field of energy was expressed. The Bank’s involvement in financing the Southern Gas Corridor project was highly appreciated. Noting that the cooperation in the oil-gas sector leaded to the cooperation in other directions in the field of energy, Aida Sitdikova asked about the status of implementation of the pilot projects with ”ACWA Power” and “Masdar” on the renewable energy and work done towards enlarging the network.

The Deputy Minister Samir Valiyev stated that within the mentioned projects 7 working groups were performing the allocation of land plots, purchase of electricity, connecting the power plants to the power network, and drafting the state guarantee and other contracts on the implementation of projects. The allocation of land plots for the projects is about to be finished. It’s planned to start the construction phase in September. Adding that after the adoption of the new law on Renewable Energy the projects on the new production capacities would be auctioned, the Deputy Minister underlined the efficient cooperation with the EBRD in this process.

At the meeting, the work done for the development of the legal framework regulating how to hold the auctions with the Bank and strengthening the network for supporting the renewable energy projects was also touched upon. It was stated that the wind measurement activities would start from April within the project.