Opening of hydroelectric stations located on the Khochaz River took place in Lachin
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on July 11 took part online in the opening of the Agbulag-1 hydroelectric station with a capacity of 14.7 MW, Agbulag-2 with a capacity of 14.25 MW and Sheylanly with a capacity of 4 MW located on the Khochaz River in Lachin.
As AZERTAC reports, Chairman of the Board of AzerEnergy OJSC Balababa Rzayev informed the head of state about the energy potential of the Lachin district and the operation of the stations.
It was noted that in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev to turn the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions into a "green energy zone," AzerEnergy OJSC continues to consistently build hydroelectric stations in the region.
The water resources of Lachin, which is part of the East Zangezur economic region, are formed mainly on the territory of the country. Thus, on the Hakari River, which is considered the second largest internal river of the Lesser Caucasus after the Tartar, and its tributaries — the Khochaz, Shalva and Zabukh rivers — 11 hydroelectric stations with a total capacity of 72.6 MW have been built to date.
The electricity demand of the Lachin district is 8-10 MW and is fully met by green energy. Excess energy is transferred to the country's energy system.
Currently, the construction of three new hydroelectric stations with a total capacity of 10.7 MW continues. They will be commissioned by the end of this year.
It is expected that in the future — by 2040 — the electricity demand of the Lachin district will be 80 MW. Taking into account the existing and planned hydroelectric stations, the district will be fully supplied with green energy even in 15 years.
The Agbulag-1 hydroelectric station with a capacity of 14.7 MW, located in the difficult mountainous terrain of the Lachin district at an altitude of 2150 meters above sea level, is one of the most complex engineering projects implemented by the country's energy specialists. The station, built in an area where there was no road infrastructure, demonstrates the professionalism and great technical capabilities of local specialists. As part of the project, a modern head water intake structure was built, and a 4.8 km long derivation pipeline with a diameter of 1200 mm was laid to supply water to the station. All necessary infrastructure was created for the uninterrupted operation of the station.
The Agbulag-1 station will produce 93.2 million kWh of environmentally friendly electricity per year. This will save 21 million cubic meters of natural gas annually, prevent the emission of 37 thousand tons of carbon dioxide and meet the electricity needs of almost 37 thousand people through green energy.
The Agbulag-2 hydroelectric station with a capacity of 14.25 MW built on the Khochaz River is important not only for electricity production but also for strengthening the energy infrastructure of the region. The entire production process at the station is carried out through modern automated control systems. As part of the project, a new 110/10 kV substation with a capacity of 16 MVA was built to ensure reliable integration of the station into the energy system.
A 5.7 km derivation line was laid to supply water to the station.
The Agbulag-2 hydroelectric station will produce 87.3 million kWh of electricity per year. As a result, 19.6 million cubic meters of natural gas will be saved annually, 35 thousand tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere will be prevented, and the electricity needs of about 35 thousand people will be met through green energy.
When designing the Sheylanly hydroelectric station with a capacity of 4 MW built in the Lachin district, one of the priorities was to preserve environmental safety. To protect the river ecosystem, hydraulic engineering solutions were applied that do not impede the natural migration of fish, and the hydro units used do not have a negative impact on the natural flow and water quality.
As part of the project, the main water intake structure was built at an altitude of 1460 meters, and a 4.8 km derivation line was laid in the complex mountainous terrain.
The Sheylanly hydroelectric station will produce 19.4 million kWh of electricity per year. This will save 4.4 million cubic meters of natural gas annually, prevent the emission of more than 8 thousand tons of carbon dioxide and meet the electricity needs of about 8 thousand people through green energy. Along with strengthening the energy security of the region, the station will also contribute to preserving the ecological balance and economic development.
It should be noted that these three hydroelectric stations, built on the basis of modern technologies and international experience and equipped with SCADA systems, will be integrated into the country's unified energy system and will produce a total of more than 200 million kWh of environmentally friendly electricity per year. As a result, 45 million cubic meters of natural gas will be saved per year, and almost 80 thousand tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere will be prevented.
