On August 21, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva took part in the official opening of three new small hydropower plants—Ashagi Vang, Nadirkhanli, and Chaykend—located in the village of Vang in Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar district. The plants are operated by AzerEnerji OJSC and form part of the country’s push toward expanding green energy in the liberated territories.
During the ceremony, AzerEnerji Chairman Baba Rzayev provided the presidential delegation with detailed information about the projects.
Aligned with the national strategy to transform the Karabakh and East Zangazur regions into clean energy zones, the Ashagi Vang (8.6 MW) and Nadirkhanli (8.8 MW) hydropower plants have been constructed using modern technology and engineering solutions. Water for these facilities is sourced from carefully designed intake systems on the Lev, Tartar, and Tutqu rivers, with a combined 9.3 km of pipelines installed in rugged mountainous areas. Advanced filtering and ecological protection mechanisms ensure the surrounding river ecosystems are preserved.
Both stations are connected to Azerbaijan’s central SCADA system and are expected to generate 48 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This output will provide power for approximately 25,000 people, reduce the use of natural gas by 12.5 million cubic meters per year, and cut 23,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. Eight local residents have been employed at the sites.
The 5 MW Chaykend Small Hydropower Plant, the eleventh green energy project launched in the district, draws water from the Tartar River via an 8.5 km pipeline. It features state-of-the-art smart management systems, allowing for remote monitoring and control from Baku. Its annual generation capacity is 15 million kilowatt-hours, which will benefit about 7,000 residents and help avoid 6,000 tons of carbon emissions. Four locals have been hired at this facility.
These new facilities reinforce Azerbaijan’s commitment to sustainable energy development and further enhance energy infrastructure in the Kalbajar region.
https://report.az/en/energy/opening-ceremony-held-for-ashagi-vang-nadirkhanli-and-chaykend-small-hydropower-plants-in-kalbajar-s-vang-village/