NMMC to invest $450 million in renewable energy

The Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company (NMMC) has adopted a three-year roadmap to expand the use of renewable energy sources, Mining.com reports.

The program includes the installation of photovoltaic panels, solar water heaters, and the introduction of energy-saving technologies. The total cost of the program is estimated at $450 million.

The largest project within the program involves the construction of a 500 MW solar power plant in the Tamdy district. Initially, the plant will supply electricity to NMMC facilities.

The first phase of the solar power plant, with a capacity of 220 MW, is expected to be operational by the end of this year and will generate up to 374 million kWh of energy annually. The second phase, with a capacity of 280 MW (476 million kWh), is scheduled to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Photovoltaic arrays are also being installed directly on the combine’s facilities. In the first half of this year, panels with a total capacity of 5.75 MW were installed, and by the end of 2023, systems with a capacity of 1.2 MW began operating.

"By investing in renewable energy now, we can reduce operating costs in the long term, lower environmental pollution, and secure a 'green' future," the publication quotes NMMC’s First Deputy Director, Yevgeny Antonov, as saying.

The combine’s energy-saving goals are also highlighted. By the end of this year, the enterprise aims to reduce electricity consumption by 262.4 kWh and natural gas consumption by 7.1 million cubic meters.