Uzbekistan yet to deal with Alcatel-Lucent on introducing SCADA for gas pipelines
TASHKENT. May 15 (Interfax) - National Uzbek holding company Uzbekneftegaz and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell Co. have yet to reach agreement on a project for introducing automated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) along the Uztransgaz gas-transport system, the holding's chief Shakir Faizullayev told the press on Monday.
"Uzbekistan has certain differences with its Chinese partner Alcatel-Lucent, which is doing a project for the creation of a modern system of automated management of technological processes at Uzbekistan's gas-transport system," Faizullayev said.
In the context of a working group, the Uzbeks and Chinese are working on resolving the situation and eliminating the differences [in agreement], he said. "Unfortunately, this is a rather long process. We'd like to move more quickly, as this project is very important for Uzbekistan's gas-transport system. As of today, we've not arrived at the same view and are continuing the work. So speaking about a timeframe for work on the project is premature," he said, not specifying the reasons for the conflict surrounding the contract.
Uzbekneftegaz suspended the SCADA contract back in March. A source in government circles told Interfax that one of the reasons for this was the subcontractor failing to meet schedule. There are also issues of a financial nature the source did not identify.
The contract between Uztransgaz and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell Co. was clinched in mid-2010. It stipulates that the latter is to do the design work, deliver equipment, do the building and installation work, do any needed adjustments or fixes, and put system facilities into operation on a turn-key basis for $77.47 million. The project involves carrying it out in four stages over eighteen months. The system should have been introduced at five sections of trunk gas pipeline running 1,728 kilometers in all.
Financing for the $81-million-total project was planned with a credit from Export-Import Bank of China of $73.6 million and funds from Uztransgaz's own coffers. The credit was issued to Uzbekistan in 2010 under government guarantee.
At present, only the design work and delivery of technological equipment has been performed as per the contract.
The SCADA project is part of Uzbekistan's investment program for 2012. According to this program, the project is to be carried out before year-end.
