Installation of photovoltaic modules at the Shafag Solar Power Plant, under construction in Azerbaijan's Jabrayil district, has reached 50% completion.
Renewables.az reports, citing bp's third-quarter 2026 results, that construction activities at the project site continued to progress during the reporting period.
Procurement and delivery of key equipment, including photovoltaic modules and structural components, were completed. Significant progress was achieved in pile and tracker installation, while electrical installation activities commenced and proceeded according to plan.
The project also maintained strong safety performance, recording more than one million work hours without a recordable injury.
Local employment continued to increase, with 444 people currently employed on the project, including approximately 150 nationals from the liberated areas.
At peak construction, the project is expected to create more than 700 jobs. Existing camp facilities at the site are being expanded to accommodate the growing workforce.
On November 12, 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony for the 240 MW Shafag Solar Power Plant (SPP) in the Jabrayil district was held as part of the COP29 climate conference in Baku, during which the plant’s first solar panel was symbolically signed.
The Shafag SPP is expected to generate approximately 500 million kWh of electricity annually, saving 120–150 million cubic meters of natural gas and reducing carbon emissions by 260,000–330,000 tonnes per year.
The plant is the first utility-scale solar energy project and the largest foreign direct investment project in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.
Under the Virtual Power Transfer Arrangement (VPTA), electricity generated at the Shafag SPP will be supplied to Azerenergy OJSC in Jabrayil, while Azerenergy OJSC will deliver an equivalent amount of electricity to the Sangachal Terminal in Baku.
This arrangement will enable an approximately 50% reduction in emissions from terminal operations over the Sangachal Terminal’s remaining operational life.
Construction activities for the Shafag Solar Power Plant are expected to continue through mid-2027.
