Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10ASHGABAT224
2010-02-17 14:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
MORE GE TURBINES TURNING IN TURKMENISTAN
how-toVZCZCXRO5777 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #0224 0481449 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 171449Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4268 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 6275 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3949 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3808 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4519 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1492 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4419 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000224
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: MORE GE TURBINES TURNING IN TURKMENISTAN
REF: A) ASHGABAT 15; B) 09 ASHGABAT 1591
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000224
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: MORE GE TURBINES TURNING IN TURKMENISTAN
REF: A) ASHGABAT 15; B) 09 ASHGABAT 1591
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 14, the Turkmen Government
commissioned a new power station named "Ahal," located about
six miles northeast of Ashgabat. The power station operates
with two General Electric gas-turbine units with a combined
generating capacity of 254.2 MWs. Lotus Energy, a Turkish
company, constructed the power station. It is the ninth power
station in the country and will supply electricity to Ashgabat
and surrounding areas. END SUMMARY
3. (SBU) Government-owned Turkmenenergo Corporation, which
will operate the power plant, signed a 120 million euro
contract for construction of the power station with Lotus
Energy in January 2008, and construction started in March
2008. Lotus Energy is registered in Turkey and conducts
business only in Turkmenistan (Ref A). It is an engineering,
procurement and construction company that specializes in
energy sector projects. Since 2002, GE has been the exclusive
provider of gas turbines for power generation in Turkmenistan,
partnering with companies such as Lotus (Ref B).
4. (SBU) The commissioning of the Ahal power station has
brought Turkmenistan's electricity generation capacity to
approximately 3,595 MWs. The new power plant is supposed to
significantly improve power supplies to the capital, as well
as to surrounding towns and villages. The station is also
linked to the country's unified electricity grid. The Ahal
power plant can utilize diesel as a reserve fuel in case of a
disruption of its gas supply. State-controlled "Neutralniy
Turkmenistan" newspaper published an article about the new
power station, in which it praised its GE turbines and
technology.
5. (SBU) Two other power stations, in Awaza and Balkanabat,
are currently under construction and should be completed this
year. Lotus Energy is constructing the Awaza power station.
Chalyk Energy, a competing Turkish company, is close to
completing the power station in Balkanabat. Both power
stations will utilize GE-produced gas-turbine units and will
have the same capacity as the Ahal power plant.
6. (SBU) In addition to its installation of state-of-the-art
power generation equipment, the Turkmen Government has also
announced a massive project to upgrade the Ashgabat power
grid. There are also plans to modernize the Soviet-era,
steam-driven turbines at all thermal power stations in the
country.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The Turkmen Government is increasing the
country's power generating capacity much faster than the
growth of local consumption and export demand. Due to an
ample supply of electricity, the modernization of the thermal
power stations might be the last large-scale project in the
power generation sector for a while. It will provide another
opportunity for GE to sell its equipment and technology to
Turkmenistan. END COMMENT
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE/DSTARKS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV TX
SUBJECT: MORE GE TURBINES TURNING IN TURKMENISTAN
REF: A) ASHGABAT 15; B) 09 ASHGABAT 1591
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 14, the Turkmen Government
commissioned a new power station named "Ahal," located about
six miles northeast of Ashgabat. The power station operates
with two General Electric gas-turbine units with a combined
generating capacity of 254.2 MWs. Lotus Energy, a Turkish
company, constructed the power station. It is the ninth power
station in the country and will supply electricity to Ashgabat
and surrounding areas. END SUMMARY
3. (SBU) Government-owned Turkmenenergo Corporation, which
will operate the power plant, signed a 120 million euro
contract for construction of the power station with Lotus
Energy in January 2008, and construction started in March
2008. Lotus Energy is registered in Turkey and conducts
business only in Turkmenistan (Ref A). It is an engineering,
procurement and construction company that specializes in
energy sector projects. Since 2002, GE has been the exclusive
provider of gas turbines for power generation in Turkmenistan,
partnering with companies such as Lotus (Ref B).
4. (SBU) The commissioning of the Ahal power station has
brought Turkmenistan's electricity generation capacity to
approximately 3,595 MWs. The new power plant is supposed to
significantly improve power supplies to the capital, as well
as to surrounding towns and villages. The station is also
linked to the country's unified electricity grid. The Ahal
power plant can utilize diesel as a reserve fuel in case of a
disruption of its gas supply. State-controlled "Neutralniy
Turkmenistan" newspaper published an article about the new
power station, in which it praised its GE turbines and
technology.
5. (SBU) Two other power stations, in Awaza and Balkanabat,
are currently under construction and should be completed this
year. Lotus Energy is constructing the Awaza power station.
Chalyk Energy, a competing Turkish company, is close to
completing the power station in Balkanabat. Both power
stations will utilize GE-produced gas-turbine units and will
have the same capacity as the Ahal power plant.
6. (SBU) In addition to its installation of state-of-the-art
power generation equipment, the Turkmen Government has also
announced a massive project to upgrade the Ashgabat power
grid. There are also plans to modernize the Soviet-era,
steam-driven turbines at all thermal power stations in the
country.
7. (SBU) COMMENT: The Turkmen Government is increasing the
country's power generating capacity much faster than the
growth of local consumption and export demand. Due to an
ample supply of electricity, the modernization of the thermal
power stations might be the last large-scale project in the
power generation sector for a while. It will provide another
opportunity for GE to sell its equipment and technology to
Turkmenistan. END COMMENT
CURRAN