Aksa Elektrik takes over Samarkand power grid

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Türkiye’s Aksa Elektrik has been awarded management of the distribution electricity networks in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region following an international tender, marking the country’s first transfer of such infrastructure to a private investor with mandatory investment commitments for its development. O'zbekiston 24 reported the development, citing an interview with Aksa Elektrik CEO Alper Erbas.

Erbas described the project as a new stage for the company, combining pride with significant responsibility. He said receiving the right to distribute electricity in Samarkand region at the initiative of the country’s president was a great honor.

He thanked state authorities and local partners for their trust and said Uzbekistan’s energy sector has undergone a major transformation in recent years. According to Erbas, reforms implemented under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have created new opportunities for private businesses.

The Aksa Elektrik chief said the longstanding friendship between Uzbekistan and Türkiye and close ties between the two countries’ leaders provide a foundation for cooperation in the energy sector. He added that the company places particular importance in all its projects on working with local specialists and manufacturers and contributing to the development of the local economy.

Erbas said Aksa Group has been involved in developing Uzbekistan’s energy sector since 2020. Its power plants in Tashkent, Bukhara and Talimarjan have a combined installed capacity of 1,220 MW, with the electricity generated supplied to households and industrial enterprises in the country.

The company will now continue its work through Aksa Elektrik by developing electricity distribution, modernizing networks and strengthening distribution infrastructure using its own technologies and expertise.

Erbas also said the criteria for evaluating energy reforms are now determined not only by the amount of electricity generated but also by the amount of energy saved and losses prevented, as well as the efficiency of resource management.

According to him, the future of electricity and gas supply begins with a meter in every home, while the sustainability of the energy sector depends on combining capacity growth with careful use of resources.

Energy Minister Sherzod Khodjaev previously said at a presidential meeting on the fuel and energy sector that all local employees of the distribution networks would retain their positions, with only 15 foreign specialists being brought in from abroad.

The investor has also committed to purchasing at least 90% of equipment from domestic manufacturers and implementing 400 microprojects across mahallas within two years under bank guarantees.

The project was presented as part of a broader Energy Ministry presentation that also covered the results of developing energy profiles for mahallas in 14 pilot districts and the construction of power networks in Afghanistan by Uzbek companies.