Ashgabat, August 7, 2019: Water and agriculture sectors are very important areas of the economy and also the largest energy consuming industries in Turkmenistan. In particular, several thousand pumping units operate in the country's water sector to supply irrigation water to the fields.

In the framework of the joint project of the State Committee for Water Resources of Turkmenistan and UNDP “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan", funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF), more than 120 pumps of the SNP-500/10 and SNPE-500/10 brands were audited. The pumps belong to the State Committee for Water Resources of Turkmenistan.

Based on the conducted audit, recommendations were made on the optimal placement of suction and pressure pipelines of pumping stations and the rational use of electric power equipment, ensuring the most efficient use of energy for the necessary pump performance.

Also, as part of the project, 5 pumping stations were reconstructed in different regions of Turkmenistan, namely in the “Chashdepe” farmers union of Murgap district of Mary region, the “Sumbar-1” farmers union of Magtymguly district of Balkan region, the “Enish 2” farmers union of Sayat district of Lebap region, farmers union "Hakykat" of Koneurgench district of Dashoguz region and pump station No. 3 in Gurtly district for irrigation of green spaces of Ashgabat.

During the reconstruction, modern energy-efficient pumps (40 kW) were installed at the pilot pumping stations, which, according to experts, consume about 2.5 times less energy at the same capacity rate as currently operating pumps (110 kW). In Dashoguz region, the diesel pump was replaced by an electric one with the construction of a power line of about 1.5 km long and the installation of a transformer substation.

At the end of July 2019, commissioning was successfully carried out at all five pumping stations. In addition, project and contractor experts held seminars for specialists of local water management organizations on various topics related to optimizing the operation of pumping stations, including the basic requirements for the maintenance and operation of pumping stations, concealed energy saving potential and choosing the right pump size to optimize the operation of installed energy-efficient pumps, as well as the economic and environmental benefits of installed pumps.

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The audit of the technical condition and performance (in terms of water supply and energy consumption) was carried out by the Danish company “Grundfos” using specialized equipment.

The installed pumps serve as a good illustrative example of the use of water-saving technologies in the water sector of Turkmenistan. By reducing energy consumption, modern pumps reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, thereby reducing the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change.