ACWA Power and Sumitomo to finance 968 MW of BESS in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is set for almost 1 GW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) after Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation agreed to acquire a 49% stake in five big clean energy projects which will be worth a total $4.2 billion.

Saudi state-controlled entity ACWA Power has announced the sale of 49% of its holding in solar and wind power sites planned in Samarkand and Kungrad.

With the last of the five projects expected online in 2028, a press release issued on the Zawya business newswire service included a quote which suggested the 968 MW of BESS planned as part of the portfolio was a recent addition.

Thomas Brostrom, chief investment and development officer at ACWA Power, said: “Integrating battery storage with our solar and wind projects in Samarkand and Kungrad enhances grid reliability and maximizes renewable [-energy] potential.”

Sumitomo will take a near half stake in the Sazagan 1 and 2 solar-plus-storage projects planned in Samarkand, each of which will feature 500 MW of solar generation capacity and 334 MW BESS; and in the Kungrad 1, 2, and 3 wind-plus-storage sites to be built in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic which has the right to secede from Uzbekistan via a referendum.

The Samarkand sites are due online between Q2, 2026 and Q2, 2027 and the Kungrad projects by Q2, 2028.

No indication was given in the ACWA Power press release issued to announce the financing collaboration about the storage capacity planned at the five BESS.

The partnership follows an intent announced at the Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 Business Forum, in May 2024, for the two nations to collaborate on renewables and water projects.