Fergana Valley to Pilot US Gravity Energy Storage Tech

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A U.S. energy company will pilot an unconventional gravity-based power storage system in Uzbekistan's Fergana region under a memorandum of understanding signed at the Tashkent International Investment Forum, as the country moves to shore up a grid under pressure from rising demand and an expanding renewable energy base.

The agreement pairs the Fergana regional administration with California-based PRAK Energy Inc., which will deploy its proprietary GRAVIENT technology — a system that stores energy by lifting heavy weights during periods of surplus electricity and recovers that energy by lowering them when demand requires it. The conversion of gravitational potential energy into electrical output is the core mechanical principle underpinning the approach, which proponents position as a scalable alternative to conventional battery storage.

Fergana regional governor Khayrillo Bozorov participated in negotiations alongside company representatives, covering the practical parameters of the project's implementation. The pilot is expected to be carried out with the direct involvement of the regional administration.

If successfully deployed, the technology is projected to strengthen grid stability, reduce strain during peak consumption periods, and improve the integration of renewable energy sources into Uzbekistan's power network — a growing priority as the country accelerates solar and wind capacity additions.

The signing adds a U.S. dimension to the energy investment activity on display at the forum, where Russia's nuclear power plant project and pipeline reconstruction deals dominated headlines. Gravity-based storage remains a relatively nascent segment of the global energy storage market, and Fergana's pilot will be watched as a test of the technology's viability under Central Asian grid conditions.