Draft Uzbekistan’s Hydropower Industry Development Concept for 2020-2024 has been published for public consultation.
The draft states that electricity generation in Uzbekistan is not diversified to great extent, with over 80 percent generated by burning natural gas, followed by hydropower — more than 10 percent, and coal — 5 percent. Currently, there are two main electricity generating companies: UzbekEnergo, which generates about 90 percent of total electricity production at thermal power plants and UzbekHydroEnergo with 37 hydropower plants providing about 10 percent.
While, the total capacity of generating stations in Uzbekistan is at 14,100 MW, with an annual electricity generation at more than 70.0 billion kWh. Hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 1,854 MW generate about 6.5 billion kWh of electricity, depending on the water flow during the year.
“Only 7 new hydropower stations out of 37 operating hydropower plants were put into operation during the last 25 years, the rest o were built a long time ago, from 30 to 80 years ago,” the document added.
Before 2024, Uzbekgidroenergo plans to implement 4 hydroelectric power station projects with capacity of more than 30 MW each, 16 new small ones and to modernize 21 operating hydro power plants.