OREANDA-NEWS. April 29, 2011. A new large-scale energy facility, the Turkmenabat-Karabekaul 220kV power line that stretch over 90 kilometres has been put into operation in the valley of the Amu Darya River in the year of the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence.

The energy bridge was built by specialists of the Lebapulgamgurlusik Department of the Turkmenenergogurlusik State Concern of the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Turkmenistan. Putting this high-voltage line into operation improved significantly power supply to settlements and industrial facilities situated on the vast territory of Lebap Velayat and became new vivid evidence for the success of the power industry development programme. As in known, this year the President of Turkmenistan has issued the Resolution authorizing the Turkmenenergo State Energy Corporation of the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Turkmenistan to conclude the contract with the Lotus Company (Turkey) the contract for design and construction of high-voltage power line and a complex of 500kV and 200 kV electric power substations in Lebap and Mary Velayat and procurement of spare parts for power plants in order to meet the goals set forth in the National Programme of the President of Turkmenistan for improvement of the social and living conditions in villages, settlements, towns in etraps and etrap centres for the period till 2020.

The Turkmenabat-Karabekaul 220kV power line will stretch towards Atamurat town and connected to a transformer substation to be built there. Also, the project provides for the construction of over 120 kilometres of high-voltage power lines and an electric power substation. It will play an important role in meeting the electricity demands of the rapidly developing social and economic spheres in the eastern region of the country as well as increase Turkmen electricity exports significantly.

It should be noted that expansion of the power supply networks in Lebap Velayat, which has been given powerful incentivise to develop in the epoch of new Revival, is speeded up nowadays. This is particularly due to the need to improve power supply to settlements as well as implementation of the tremendous oil and gas potential of the right bank of the Amu Darya River, where hydrocarbon extraction, processing and transportation is carried by the modern energy-intensive industrial complexes. Kyzylkum has turned into a major oil and gas producing region with extended pipeline infrastructure that has access to world energy markets.

In the past three years the high-voltage power lines such as Farab-Samandepe, Samandepe-Yashildepe, Malay-Bagtyyarlyk, Burdalyk-Yashildepe were built on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, the powerful transformer substation was put into operation in Farab, power distribution and control facilities were constructed in Samandepe, Yashildepe, Burdalyk and Bagtyyarlyk. The network consisting of power lines and transformers that ensure reliable and uninterrupted power supply was ptu into operation in Dovletli Etrap.

The new industrial settlement Garlyk on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, the foundation stone of which was laid by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov this year, plays a critical role in accelerating social and economic development of the south-eastern region of the country. Along with the other social and economic spheres, industrial complexes and modern energy infrastructure will be created there in two-three years. The construction of the Watan-Garlyk 110 kV-power line that will stretch over 100 kilometres will be launched in the region soon.