By Leman Mammadova
Azerbaijan’s electricity production amounted to 22.52 billion kilowatt-hours in 2018, thus showing an increase of 3.4 percent compared to 2017, Trend reports referring to Azerenergy JSC.
The electricity exports to Russia, Georgia, Iran and Turkey increased by 175 million kilowatt-hours or 14.2 percent in 2018 compared to 2017.
Over 20 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was generated at the power stations of Azerenergy JSC in 2017.
There are over 30 power plants on the balance of Azerenergy.
The total power generation capacity of these stations exceeds 6,000 megawatts, which allows generating about 24 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Azerenergy JSC is the main exporter of electric energy in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan exported 1.380 billion kWh of electricity worth $64.9 million, that is 444.7 million kWh of 47.55 percent more than in the previous year, according to the State Customs Committee (SCC). The electricity was sold at $0.047 or AZN 0.0799 a kWh. Electricity export made up 0.42 percent of Azerbaijan’s total export.
In November, Azerenergy produced 1.965 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Recently, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a memorandum on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Georgian power systems after discussion of the state of the power systems of Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as the construction of a 330 kW two-way (duplex) transmission line.
In addition, the creation of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge will enable to integrate into the European electricity market in the future.
Aiming to lessen its dependency on oil, Azerbaijan impelments a number of measures for further development of alternative energy sector.
According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, in January-October 2018, hydropower production amounted to 1,528.4 kilowatt hours, solar energy to 35.1 kilowatt hours and wind power to 42.5 kilowatt hours.
The potential of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan exceeds 25,300 megawatts, which will allow generating 62.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually.