Saudi energy provider ACWA Power has signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with China Energy Group Corporation (CEEC) for a 1.4GW solar project in Uzbekistan.

According to CEEC, the solar project, in conjunction with a 1.2GW energy storage project in Uzbekistan, will “tremendously improve Uzbekistan’s green power supply capacity and new energy development level”. Also, CEEC will continue to leverage its advantages in project construction and management, maintenance, investment and operation to collaborate with ACWA Power.

In March, ACWA Power signed agreements to develop the solar and energy storage projects in Uzbekistan financed by the country’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade. The agreements were for two solar projects – a 1GW facility in the Samarkand region and a 400MW plant in the Tashkent region – and three 400MW storage projects.

ACWA signed power purchase agreements (PPA) for the projects with JSC Uzbek National Electricity Grids, the country’s grid operator.

The investment agreements formed part of a US$10 billion plan signed last year between ACWA Power and the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade to finance projects through 2027. These new projects will constitute around US$2.5 billion.