Uzbekistan has commissioned power-generation and energy-storage facilities with a combined capacity of 2,423 megawatts, including projects in thermal, solar and wind power. This was reflected in a statement by the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan. According to the Ministry, the facilities were commissioned as part of preparations for Uzbekistan's 35th anniversary of independence, with total project costs estimated at $1.7 billion.
The largest project is a 1,573-MW thermal power plant in the Boyovut district of Sirdaryo region. The facility is designed to generate about 13 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and has an efficiency rate of 61.7%. The plant is expected to save about 1.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year.
Its $900 million construction project was implemented with direct investment from a consortium involving France's EDF, Qatar's Nebras Power, and Japan's Sojitz Corporation and Kyuden International. About 3,000 jobs were created during construction, while the plant is expected to employ 120 people permanently. Uzbekistan also commissioned a 300-MW solar photovoltaic plant and a 150-MW energy-storage system in Nurota district of Navoi region.
The $390 million project was implemented in cooperation with China's China Energy Overseas Investment. The solar facility is expected to generate 657 million kWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the yearly consumption of about 273,000 households, while saving 175 million cubic meters of natural gas and preventing about 377,000 tons of harmful emissions. A 200-MW wind power plant and 100-MW energy-storage system were also commissioned in Karauzak district of Karakalpakstan.
The $263 million project, developed with Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power, is expected to generate 701 million kWh annually, enough to cover the electricity consumption of about 292,000 households. The project is also expected to save 187 million cubic meters of natural gas and prevent about 403,000 tons of harmful emissions each year. In Namangan region, a separate 100-MW energy-storage system was commissioned for $110 million.
The facility can store electricity at 100 MW for two hours, providing up to 200 megawatt-hours of storage capacity and helping the grid manage peak demand. Trend's analysis shows that the newly commissioned facilities combine conventional generation with renewable energy and storage, giving Uzbekistan additional capacity while also addressing the growing need for a more flexible electricity system. The figures show the scale of the expansion.
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