President Aliyev Inaugurates Yeni Sangachal Substation to Advance Azerbaijan’s Green Energy Transition
Baku, The Gulf Observer: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on Monday inaugurated the 220/110/10 kV Yeni Sangachal substation operated by AzerEnerji OJSC, marking a significant milestone in Azerbaijan’s transition toward renewable energy and sustainable power infrastructure.
During the inauguration ceremony, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AzerEnerji OJSC, Balababa Rzayev, briefed President Aliyev on the strategic importance and technical features of the newly commissioned facility.
The Yeni Sangachal substation forms the second phase of a major energy project aimed at integrating the 240-megawatt Shafag Solar Power Plant in the Jabrayil district into Azerbaijan’s national electricity grid. The initiative is being implemented under a cooperation agreement between AzerEnerji and bp, enabling renewable electricity to be supplied to the Sangachal terminal.
The first phase of the project, including the construction of a 330 kV substation in Jabrayil, was inaugurated by President Aliyev in May this year.
With the commissioning of the Yeni Sangachal substation, renewable electricity generated by the Shafag Solar Power Plant will be transmitted through the national grid to the Sangachal terminal, allowing the terminal’s existing gas-fired power plant to be decommissioned.
The project is expected to meet the terminal’s annual electricity demand of approximately 500 million kilowatt-hours through renewable energy, resulting in annual savings of 120–150 million cubic meters of natural gas and reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 260,000 to 330,000 tonnes.
Spread across 6.5 hectares, the substation is connected to Azerbaijan’s national electricity network through four new 220 kV transmission lines with a combined length of 111 kilometres.
Electricity is supplied from three independent sources—the 785 MW Janub Power Plant, the 385 MW Gobu Power Plant, and the 500 kV Absheron substation—enhancing the reliability and stability of the country’s power network.
In addition, five 110 kV overhead-cable transmission lines, extending 25 kilometres, have been installed between the new substation and the Sangachal terminal, while two additional transmission lines are planned during the next phase of the project.
The substation will provide electricity to bp’s Sangachal terminal, with a capacity of 80 MW, and the Shah Deniz Compressor Station, requiring 85 MW, enabling both strategic energy facilities, whose combined annual electricity consumption exceeds one billion kilowatt-hours, to receive uninterrupted power through Azerbaijan’s unified electricity grid.
Equipped with advanced digital control systems integrated into the SCADA network and supported by a dedicated control centre, the new facility is expected to strengthen Azerbaijan’s electricity transmission infrastructure while advancing the country’s renewable energy and decarbonisation objectives.
