French renewable energy company Voltalia has emerged as the winning bidder to build the 123MW solar project in Uzbekistan.

In July this year, Voltalia participated in the auction, which was sponsored by the World Bank through the IFC Scaling Solar Program.

The Uch-Uchak solar project will be developed near the Turkmen border in the western Uzbek province of Khorezm.

Voltalia will be responsible to design, construction, finance, ownership, operation, and maintenance of the power plant.

It will be equipped with advance technologies and will feature bi-facial panels, which will be mounted on trackers.

The contract scope also includes designing, financing as well as constructing the purchaser interconnection facilities.

Commissioning of the solar plant is planned in 2024.

The solar facility investment will be financed by project debt and will be backed by the region’s development finance institutions.

The Uzbek government has set a 12GW solar and wind capacity target by the end of this decade and Uch-Uchak solar project part of that plan to meet the target.

Voltalia CEO Sébastien Clerc said: “Following the signing of an innovative partnership agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan in November, we are extremely pleased to have won this 123MW solar tender today.

“Uzbekistan will be one of Voltalia’s key markets going forward and we are proud to support the country in reaching its ambitious 2030 targets, substantially increasing the country’s renewable electricity production and its energy independence.”

Last month, Voltalia agreed to co-develop renewable energy projects with an output ranging between 400MW and 500MW together with Uzbek government.