This project, undertaken by China Energy Engineering Corporation and subcontracted to Hesheng as a professional partner, is a important project of The Belt and Road Initiative. Construction started in July 2023 and was completed in October 2024, lasting a total of 15 months. A total of 79 wind turbines were installed, with the project setting a record for the number of turbines lifted in a single month. The team also achieved a first-class project result through innovations in transfer efficiency.
Project Overview
The Uzbekistan Bash Wind Farm Project is located in Gijduvon District, Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan. The Bukhara 1GW Wind Power Project is the largest wind project under construction in Uzbekistan. The Bash Wind Farm is situated in the northeast of Bukhara Region, about 155 km from Bukhara City and 615 km from the capital Tashkent. The wind farm uses Envision EN171 6.5MW-100m turbines, with each unit having a rotor diameter of 171 meters and a hub height of 100 meters. The Bash Wind Farm consists of 79 turbines with a total capacity of 500MW. The site terrain is relatively flat, favorable for construction.
Scope of Work
Hesheng’s construction team was responsible for the installation and commissioning of all 79 turbines, including: Equipment installation, commissioning, acceptance, and handover to production; Stage-by-stage and full 240-hour trial operations before official transfer to the client; Operation, maintenance, and warranty services during the trial operation period.
The main crane used was a SANY SCC13800TM 900t crawler crane equipped with HJFJDB-7 wind power configuration for lifting all turbine components. Auxiliary cranes included: SANY SYM5727JQZ500T 500t truck crane for unloading main components and tailing during tower lifting 100t crawler crane for unloading transformers and turbine components, assisting in assembly/disassembly, and relocation tasks
The first turbine installation ceremony was held on July 20, 2023, during which Hesheng successfully completed the lifting of a three-section tower on the same day.
Construction Highlights
Wind turbine lifting was significantly affected by weather conditions such as wind, rain, and snow, which caused delays and increased work pressure. To address this, the team adopted the single-blade lifting method, which improved installation progress but required high technical proficiency from the crew. Since over 80% of Hesheng’s recent projects have involved single-blade lifting, the management and technical teams were already highly experienced, ensuring smooth progress.
By June 9, 2024, 76 turbines had been successfully installed. The final 3 turbines were delayed due to equipment delivery issues. On October 10, 2024, installation of the 77th turbine commenced. By October 28, 2024, all 79 turbines were successfully installed, marking the full completion of lifting works. At peak periods, crews worked continuously in 24-hour shifts when conditions allowed, successfully installing 10 turbines in one month, setting a new monthly installation record.
Project Achievements
To improve the efficiency of large crane relocations, Hesheng implemented two innovative transfer methods, shortening the original contract period from 20 months to 15 months, and earning high praise from the client:
Semi-dismantling transfer method - Only partial disassembly (e.g., counterweights and boom sections) is performed, while retaining the boom and turntable. This saved time, reduced costs, and increased flexibility. On average, this reduced relocation time by 1 day per turbine.
Non-dismantling transfer method (whole-machine transfer) - The crawler crane moves directly without any disassembly. Though efficient, this method posed challenges in desert terrain. The team carried out repeated compaction of temporary roads and deployed highly skilled operators to ensure safety. On average, this reduced relocation time by 1.5 days per turbine. These innovations in relocation efficiency were recognized as a first-class project achievement.
