Shivee Ovoo power station

The Shivee-Ovoo power station is a proposed 4,800 megawatt coal-fired power station which has been proposed by the Mongolian government with approximately 4,000MW slated for export to China and 300MW to meet increasing domestic power demand, especially from the rapidly expanding mining sector. Two years earlier the power station was proposed as a 3,600 MW power station with 3,000MW destined for the Chinese market.

In a 2008 presentation a government representative stated that "construction work will start in 2008, First block will operate in 2010, Project will be finished in 2015." However, the project has not progressed. In a 2010 presentation the Mongolian government identified the development of the $US4 billion Shivee Ovoo power station as one of its "top priorities in the midterm".

Project specifications
The power station, which would require approximately 20 million tonnes of coal per year, would be supplied by a conveyor from the adjoining Shivee-Ovoo mine.

It has also been estimated that the power station would require "water access and supply facilities of 16 million cubic meter per year" and take 7 years to build. It would also necessitate the construction of a 1400 kilometre long 630 kV DC transmission line for 4000 MW from Shivee Ovoo to the North China Power Grid as well as a new 220 kV transmission line to carry 300MW to the Mongolian Central energy system.

Background to the project
In a briefing on the project, a Mongolian government official explained that the project had been mooted after the November 2005 signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of Mongolia and Development and Renovation Committee of China on cooperation in the fuel and energy sector. Subsequently a pre-feasibility study had been undertaken by the State Grid Corporation of China on the establishment of the mine-mouth power station and an electricity transmission line to China. Following this Mongolian and Chinese government officials have been negotiating the terms of agreement for the project.

Mongolian Prime Minister visits minesite
In 2009 the Mongolian Prime Minister Sanjaagiin Bayar visited the minesite to discuss the establishment of the Shivee Ovoo power station. In an interview Bayar stated that "we exchanged our points of views with Development and Innovation Committee of People’s Republic of China regarding building the complex next to Shivee Ovoo coal mine. We agreed upon establishing it in late 2009. This is to establish the biggest ever power station with capacity of 20 thousand megawatt. It will supply China with energy. It is good for China and Mongolia. Also this power station is to provide Mongolia with electricity. This station would supply China, a stable and big market with high demand of electricity. It is not only the issue of Shivee Ovoo, we need to build power station to supply Xinjiang – Uyghur region of China, where there is big demand of energy. We have huge reserve next to this region. These projects will surely help Mongolia to strengthen its financial base and budget revenue. Also eastern part of Mongolia, namely, Dornod aimag has mining deposits with big reserve."

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