Uzbekistan Accelerates Energy Transition and Investment Drive

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan is continuing a large-scale transformation of its energy sector, attracting major private investment, expanding renewable energy capacity, and modernizing gas-fired generation, according to Fazliddin Sharafitdinov, Head of the Project Office at the Ministry of Energy.

He said the country has already completed about a quarter of its energy development targets set for 2030.

According to him, approximately US$19 billion in private investment has been attracted into Uzbekistan’s energy sector. These funds have enabled the commissioning of more than 17 GW of new generation capacity, including modern combined-cycle gas power plants, as well as solar and wind facilities and energy storage systems. He noted that the combination of different technologies has become the foundation of the current energy transition model.

Significant growth has been recorded in renewable energy production. Sharafitdinov said that in 2022, green energy output was about 400 million kWh, while in the current year it has increased roughly 25 times and could reach around 14 billion kWh.

New projects include approximately 4 GW of solar generation capacity, 1.7 GW of wind power, and more than 5 GW of battery storage systems. The total investment volume in these projects is estimated at around US$11 billion, with potential annual output of about 19 billion kWh from renewable sources.

The expansion of renewables is being accompanied by large-scale infrastructure development. Acwa, one of the key foreign investors, is implementing projects in Uzbekistan worth between US$15 billion and US$20 billion, including the construction of around 2,000 kilometers of transmission lines to integrate renewable energy into the power system.

Despite the rapid growth of green generation, gas-fired power remains central to the country’s energy balance.

The Ministry of Energy representative noted that previously about 92% of electricity in Uzbekistan was generated by burning gas in steam turbines with an average efficiency of 37–40%. Since 2017, however, the country has shifted toward more efficient combined-cycle gas turbine plants. Around 8 GW of such capacity is currently in operation, improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.

Sharafitdinov said the overall energy mix will continue to evolve as the share of renewables increases, while gas generation will remain the backbone of the system but become significantly more efficient. He also noted that both specific and total gas consumption could decline by around 85% in the long term, despite stable electricity output.

Overall, Uzbekistan’s energy policy is focused on the parallel development of traditional and renewable generation, improving infrastructure efficiency, and expanding the role of international investors in the sector.