President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspected the operations of a recently built small hydropower plant located near the Gissarak Reservoir in Shakhrisabz district. The Gissarak Reservoir was initially constructed in 1987 and underwent significant reconstruction in 2004. In addition, the area is home to a main hydropower plant with a 45 megawatt capacity, which was established in 2011 and generates approximately 80 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the energy needs of about 33,000 households.
The development of environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and renewable energy sources, as well as the expansion of existing capacities, are key priorities for Uzbekistan. The joint-stock company Uzbekhydroenergo is actively implementing projects to construct small and micro hydropower plants.
The new small hydropower plant in Shakhrisabz district has a capacity of 3.5 megawatts and is expected to produce an average of 17.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. The project was entirely carried out using local resources and cost a total of $1.5 million. Its operation is estimated to save up to 5 million cubic meters of natural gas annually and provide enough electricity for approximately 7,300 households.
The President was also informed about upcoming plans for hydropower, which include the construction of 416 micro hydropower plants equipped with kinetic turbines over the next two years. These installations will efficiently utilize the water flow in canals and have a total capacity of 12 megawatts.
In Kashkadarya region, there are currently three hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 49 megawatts. However, this number is expected to significantly increase in the future through the implementation of new projects. The goal is for hydropower to cover up to 15 percent of the country’s electricity needs.
Over the past eight years, Uzbekistan has seen a 38 percent increase in electricity production, reaching 81.5 billion kilowatt-hours. By 2024, an additional five small hydropower plants with a total capacity of 24.7 megawatts are scheduled to be commissioned throughout the country.
UzA