BP plans to submit environmental assessment for solar power plant in Azerbaijan in March, sign FID by end-2024
BAKU. March 7 (Interfax) - BP subsidiary Lightsource bp plans to submit a final environmental assessment for the Shafag solar power plant in the Jabrayil district of Azerbaijan this month and sign a final investment decision (FID) with Azerbaijan's government by the end of 2024.
The company plans to submit the final Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the 240 MW plant to the Azerbaijani Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry by the end of March, Aaron Shane, Lightsource bp's chief environmental and social planning specialist, said during a public discussion of the ESIA on Wednesday.
"We plan to submit the final ESIA for the Shafag SPP construction project to the Azerbaijani Ecology Ministry in March and anticipate it will be approved in April," he said.
An Interfax correspondent quoted him as saying the report reflects information about the current state of the natural and social environment, and gives projections for the project's environmental impact and measures to mitigate any potential impact on the environment and residents.
Shane said the plant would be built 5-10 km from the city of Jabrayil.
"Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year and will take 18 months in total," Shane said.
Tamam Bayalti, chief spokesperson for BP in Azerbaijan, said the company expected to sign the FID with the Azerbaijani government by the end of the year.
According to the preliminary ESIA, the plant will be built on an 802 hectare site northwest of the River Araz close to the settlement of Hajili 6 km south of the city of Jabrayil. It will have AC generating capacity of 240 MW, which at its peak could reach 288 MW.
The project involves design, equipment supply, construction, installation, testing, commissioning and operation of the photovoltaic solar power plant.
Lightsource bp will be responsible for the construction of the plant and its commissioning.
Electricity generated by the power plant will eventually be transferred to Azerenerji. The project also includes the construction of a 33/330 kV substation.
According to the schedule, Lightsource bp plans to mobilize manpower and equipment and prepare the site from July to October 2024. Construction of the SPP will take place from October 2024 through November 2025, testing will begin in November 2025 and commercial operation of the plant will begin in December 2025.
It is expected that the construction workforce will average 300 within 6-8 months, peaking at 700 people at peak.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that the construction of the Shafag SPP would provide electricity to the Sangachal oil and gas terminal and export the gas that is made available to Europe. It is expected that the solar power plant will generate 500 kWh of electricity per year.
The Azerbaijani Energy Ministry and BP signed an executive cooperation agreement on June 3, 2021 on the assessment and implementation of a project for the construction of a 240 MW capacity solar power plant in the Jabrayil region. Investments in the project are estimated at $200 million.
The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) and the Azerbaijan Investment Company signed an agreement with BP to join the Shafag SPP construction project on September 21, 2023.
