In 2018, ADB has supported Turkmenistan in strengthening its national power grid through a $500 million project, the first of its kind by an international financial institution in the country.
The project financed nearly 1,400 km of transmission lines, 11 substations, and technical assistance, with additional contributions from Turkmenenergo. As a result, power exports rose significantly, and Turkmenistan’s capacity to design, construct, and manage energy infrastructure to international standards has been enhanced, according to ADB.
Yet strong and sustainable economic growth in Turkmenistan demands a robust, reliable electric power transmission network to complement the country’s power generation potential.
ADB’s National Power Grid Strengthening Project was the first project by an international financial institution to help develop Turkmenistan’s power sector.
“The project sought to help Turkmenistan unleash its capacity to grow and diversify its economy by improving the infrastructure for transmitting electricity and exporting it to neighboring countries.
Realizing this goal meant filling in gaps in the grid to establish an interconnected national transmission system throughout the whole country. The project has financed the construction of nearly fourteen hundred kilometers of 110, 220, and 500 kilovolt transmission lines in various parts of the country”, told Artur Andrysiak, Director of the ADB Resident Mission in Turkmenistan.
ADB has also financed the construction of 11 substations in the regions of Ahal, Balkan, Dashoguz, and Lebap and in the city of Ashgabat.
In an initial sign of project success, Turkmenistan’s power exports jumped from 3.4 terawatt-hours in 2017 to 9.3 terawatt-hours in 2023.
The project’s $1.5 million technical assistance component was supported by a grant from the Japan Fund for a Prosperous and Resilient Asia, financed by the Government of Japan.
“ADB worked with the national power utility Turkmenenergo – who also contributed 175 million dollars to the project. Despite global disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war, the executing and implementing agencies delivered exceptional results. This initiative significantly enhanced the government’s capacity to implement projects, especially in detailed engineering, procurement, safeguards, and financial management, while strengthening the Ministry of Energy’s ability to design and construct substations and transmission lines to international standards”, said Catherine Santiago,Unit Head, Project administration (ADB).
When the National Power Grid Strengthening Project closed in June 2025, it left behind a stronger, more reliable energy transmission infrastructure in Turkmenistan.
“The construction of these large-scale facilities will allow us to interconnect the Turkmen power grid, ensure its security, increase the volume of electricity exported abroad, and also significantly increase the reliability of the unified ring power grid of Turkmenistan”, commented Rahymgeldi Aymammedov. Director of Turkmenerngotaslama Design Institute.
“As the result of cooperation of the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan, the State Power Corporation “Turkmenenergo” and the Asian Development Bank, projects have been implemented to improve the energy system of our country. Of course, within the framework of these projects, high-voltage power transmission lines and substations have been built and put into operation in our country. Within the framework of the project, we have carried out work on improving the professional level of Turkmen specialists”, emphasized Abdyrahman Myratdurdyyev, Deputy Chief, long-term development service, Turkmenenergo. ///nCa, 15 January 2026