Opening ceremonies of the Zar and Toghanaly small hydropower plants

On September 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the 4.3 MW Zar small hydropower plant (SHPP) operated by Azerenergy OJSC in the Kalbajar district and inaugurated the 4.1 MW Toghanaly SHPP newly constructed in the Goygol district via the SCADA system.

The 4.3 MW Zar small hydropower plant in the Kalbajar district and the 4.1 MW Toghanaly small hydropower plant in the Goygol district were both constructed by Azerenergy within the span of just one year. These stations, considered examples of innovative engineering, are equipped with European-made turbines, generators, and digital remote-control systems in their engine rooms. The stations are integrated into the country’s centralized optical cable network and SCADA system via 24-core fiber-optic cable lines.  

To supply water to these power stations, Azerenergy built intake structures on the Zar and Kurekchay rivers in accordance with environmental standards. For this purpose, special hydrotechnical facilities have been built to ensure the protection of living beings in rivers, as well as flora and fauna in general. In total, 14,000 meters of diversion pipelines were laid through difficult terrain, with special emphasis on preserving the river ecosystems. Zar and Toghanaly SHPPs are expected to produce a total of up to 25 million kilowatt-hours of green energy annually, which will save approximately 5.5 million cubic meters of natural gas and prevent more than 10,000 tons of carbon emissions.