BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 13. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the “Gozlukorpu” Hydroelectric Power Plant, located in the village of Gozlukorpu in the Aghdara district, on January 13, TurkicWorld reports.
Chairman of the Board of “Azerenerji” OJSC Baba Rzayev briefed the head of state on the station, as well as on the status of hydropower plants in Garabagh and East Zangezur, and the existing and prospective hydropower potential of the Tartarchay river chain.
It was reported that in the liberated territories, 38 hydropower plants with a total capacity of 307 MW produced 750 million kilowatt-hours of green energy in 2025. This resulted in savings of 160 million cubic metres of natural gas and prevented the emission of 280,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The hydropower potential of the Tartarchay has been determined to include 30 hydropower stations (HPS). Currently, 22 HPS are operated by “Azerenerji” OJSC, construction of 5 HPS is underway, and 3 HPS are planned. It should be noted that the Tartarchay river is entirely within the territory of Azerbaijan.
In accordance with President Ilham Aliyev’s instruction to transform Garabagh and East Zangezur into a “green energy” zone, the “Gozlukorpu” Hydroelectric Power Plant, built on the Tartarchay — the largest water artery of the region — has a capacity of 14.7 MW. Despite the challenging terrain, harsh climate conditions, and complex logistics, the project was successfully completed in a short period.
A modern headwater intake structure has been constructed at an altitude of 955 metres above sea level. A 13-kilometre-long diversion pipeline has been laid through mountainous terrain to transfer water from this structure to the station. For the first time in Azerbaijan, modern energy-production equipment capable of operating at 25% productivity during low-water periods and 100% productivity during high-water periods has been installed.
An open switchgear was built to connect the station to the national energy system, and an optical cable line was laid to integrate the station into the digital control system.
On average, the station is expected to produce 43 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, saving 9.5 million cubic metres of natural gas and preventing 18,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Special attention was given to environmental protection within the project. Hydraulic structures were constructed to prevent river fish from entering the diversion pipeline and to ensure that harmful substances do not mix with the water. These measures allow the water to return to the downstream river without changes to its quality indicators. The use of environmentally friendly technological equipment ensures the sustainability of the river ecosystem while contributing to the formation of water resources.
