BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 6. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has allocated a financial package of 13.8 million euros for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Lebedinovskaya hydropower plant, Trend reports with reference to the EBRD.
The package consists of an EBRD sovereign loan of 8.8 million euros and an investment grant of 5 million euros.
The funds were provided to the state-owned hydropower operator of nine small HPPs in Kyrgyzstan, Chakan GES Company.
According to the EBRD, the Lebedinovskaya HPP, commissioned between 1943 and 1948 years, provides power to Bishkek, but its equipment is in need of replacement.
“The proposed improvements in productivity will help increase its annual electricity output by 56 percent, bringing it to 50,300 MWh. New efficiency and safety measures will help the HPP improve its resilience to climate change and adapt to changing water flow levels,” the EBRD said.
The purpose of the financing is to improve the climate resilience of the national energy system of Kyrgyzstan, and, in particular, to improve the energy security of Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek
As the EBRD noted, the project would contribute to national efforts to solve the long-time operational issues of the country’s aged and inefficient HPP infrastructure.