First Fully Domestic Hydropower Plant Launched on the Naryn River

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 25 March last year, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched the construction of new power plants in Namangan region. Today, the first stage of the Naryn cascade of hydropower plants has been put into operation.

During his visit to the region, the Head of State inspected the new energy facility.

The development of renewable energy sources has been defined in Uzbekistan as a strategic priority to ensure the sustainability of the national economy. In recent years, more than ten solar, wind, and hydropower plants with a total capacity of 450 megawatts have been commissioned in Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya regions.

At present, Uzbekhydroenergo JSC is implementing a project to construct a cascade of six hydropower plants on the Naryn River with a total value of over 428 million dollars and an aggregate capacity of 228 megawatts.

As part of the first stage, HPP-1 has been launched, built entirely from domestically produced materials and equipment. This makes it the first fully national hydropower plant. Its capacity will allow the generation of 171 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and the creation of 130 jobs. The project will supply electricity to 430,000 households and save about 290 million cubic meters of natural gas each year, equivalent to nearly 300 billion soums. Thus, the Naryn cascade carries not only energy, but also social and economic significance.

For the first time in the history of Uzbekistan’s hydropower sector, horizontal capsule hydro units have been introduced here. They can operate with high efficiency even under low water pressure, marking a new chapter in the industry’s development.

The station’s territory includes a spillway structure, administrative and service buildings, and a dispatch center.

To protect the environment and improve the surroundings, 6,000 ornamental trees have been planted, with another 7,000 fruit saplings scheduled to be planted in spring. This will allow the facility to serve not only as an energy hub but also as a center of eco-tourism.

Overall, the Naryn hydropower cascade is a strategic project aimed at developing a “green” economy and improving the quality of life of the population. The launch of the second and third plants is planned for 2026, followed by the remaining three in 2027.

Each plant will have a capacity of 38 megawatts and create new jobs.

Large-scale projects of this kind in the energy sector play a crucial role in ensuring stable electricity supply to the population, uninterrupted industrial operations, and higher overall economic efficiency of the country.