TBEA
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electrical equipment, Power engineering, Renewable energy, Mining |
| Headquarters | China |
Area served | China, India, Africa, Middle East, Central Asia |
| Products | Power transformers, Electrical apparatus, Solar power equipment, Cables |
TBEA Co., Ltd. (previously known as Tebian Electric Apparatus) is a prominent Chinese enterprise specializing in the production of power transformers and electrical apparatus, while also engaging in transmission and renewable energy project development. Alongside industry players such as Tianwei Baobian Electric and the XD Group, TBEA ranks among the foremost transformer manufacturers in China.
Equipment manufacturing
Operating under the name TBEA Energy (India) Pvt Ltd. in Karjan, Gujarat, India, TBEA’s production facility manufactures transformers, solar power equipment, and cables targeted at markets across India, Africa, and the Middle East.
Construction engineering
TBEA has delivered numerous international projects involving transmission lines and power infrastructure:
- In Ethiopia, it completed the transmission line linking the Gilgel Gibe III Dam to Addis Ababa in 2009.
- In Zambia, TBEA was awarded a US$334 million EPC contract by ZESCO in 2010 to construct 330 kV high-voltage lines connecting several provinces, with work commencing in 2012.
- In The Gambia, the company built the 23 MW Jambur Solar Power Station, which became operational in March 2024. This project forms part of the Gambia Electricity Restoration and Modernization Project (GERMP), supported by financing from the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and European Union.
Power stations
In Kyrgyzstan, TBEA was entrusted with renovating a power plant located in Bishkek amid political controversy that involved allegations of cost inflation and corruption linked to local officials. Shortly after reopening, the plant suffered a failure in 2018; however, investigations revealed that the malfunction occurred in an area outside TBEA’s reconstruction scope.
Renewable energy
TBEA has notably increased its involvement in renewable energy initiatives:
- In August 2024, it revealed plans to invest ¥3.5 billion for a 1 GW solar-plus-storage facility and ¥6.6 billion for a 2 GW wind-plus-storage installation in Zhundong, Xinjiang.
- In Turkey, TBEA collaborated with C&D Clean Energy to provide 6.3 MW of central inverters for a solar power project in Adana that was commissioned in July 2024.
- In Shandong, China, it developed a 50 MW solar installation on a reclaimed coal mining subsidence site located in Xintai, illustrating its expertise in converting brownfield sites into renewable energy assets.
Mining
As part of its international growth strategy, TBEA has expanded into mining operations. In 2015, it obtained a mining license from Tajikistan for exploiting the Upper Kumarg and Eastern Duoba gold deposits within the Sughd Region. This agreement included constructing the Dushanbe-2 combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Tajikistan’s capital. Exploration rights had been granted earlier in 2013. Gold production began by 2019, and by late 2021 approximately half of a new gold processing plant was completed in Ayni district. The entire project was valued at around 272 million somonis (approximately US$24 million).
In 2023, during talks with Ethiopia’s ambassador to China, TBEA expressed its intention to invest in Ethiopia’s developing energy and mining sectors.