Mitsubishi to draw up service programs for Uzbek plants

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Mitsubishi Corporation under which the three entities agreed to advance and accelerate discussion of a Comprehensive Service and Maintenance Program (CSMP) to support the operation and maintenance of thermal power plants in Uzbekistan. The agreement was one of several reached at the 15th round of the Uzbek-Japanese Economic Cooperation Forum(Note), a series of joint economic talks between Uzbekistan and Japan, held in Tokyo, aimed at promoting bilateral trade and economic development. It affirmed the commitment of the parties concerned to carry forward the intent of a previous MOU agreed at the 14th round of discussions undertaken on October 25, 2018.

The new MOU was signed by the Uzbek Deputy Minister of Energy Sherzod Khodjayev, Mitsubishi Corporation Executive Vice President Katsuya Nakanishi (Power Solution Group CEO), and MHPS President and CEO Ken Kawai. The signing ceremony was attended by Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Elyor Ganiev, who serves as chair of the Uzbek-Japanese Committee for Economic Cooperation, and Mikio Sasaki, chair of the Uzbek-Japanese Committee for Economic Cooperation.

The CSMP incorporated into the newly concluded MOU, which aims to enhance O&M technologies, will apply to three power plants: the Navoi plant operated by Thermal Power Plants of Uzbekistan (formerly, State Joint Stock Company Uzbekenergo), where MHPS previously supplied equipment; and two plants currently under construction, the Navoi-2 and Turakurgan plants. Specifically, MHPS will provide parts supply for the gas turbines in use at the power plants concerned, assign engineers to the sites to perform regular inspections, and train Thermal Power Plants of Uzbekistan's engineers in O&M using IoT. Through these initiatives, the aims will be to provide high-quality O&M technology to the local company and, in the future, to elevate the gas turbine O&M skills of the local engineers.

Thermal Power Plants of Uzbekistan is a state-operated power provider that meets close to 100 percent of Uzbekistan's power needs relying on three core fuel sources: coal, petroleum and natural gas. The company has a total power generation capacity of 12,100 megawatts (MW), of which MHPS-supplied equipment accounts for 20 percent (including plants under construction).

Going forward, MHPS looks to maintain and further develop its close relationship with Thermal Power Plants of Uzbekistan as its way of contributing to stable and efficient power provision in Uzbekistan.