Uzbekistan Launches $1.7 Billion Energy Capacity Projects

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan commissioned three new power plants and three energy storage systems with a total capacity of 2,423 MW on 25 August 2026, according to the Ministry of Energy. The combined cost of the energy infrastructure projects reached approximately 20 trillion soums, or US$1.7 billion.

The facilities were launched as part of a ceremony introducing new industrial, commercial, and social infrastructure ahead of the 35th anniversary of the country's independence. Minister of Energy Sherzod Khodjayev noted that several of the newly commissioned assets represent some of the largest projects in their respective categories in Central Asia.

The largest project is a 1,573 MW thermal power station located in the Bayavut district of the Syrdarya region. Built at a cost of US$900 million funded through direct foreign investment, the plant was developed by a consortium comprising France's EDF, Qatar's Nebras Power, and Japan's Sojitz and Kyuden following a November 2021 tender. The combined-cycle gas turbine plant is designed to generate up to 13 billion kWh of electricity annually with an efficiency rate of 61.7 percent, which the Energy Ministry estimates will save 1.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. The facility created 120 permanent jobs following a construction phase that employed nearly 3,000 workers.

In the Nurota district of the Navoi region, a US$390 million renewable energy complex combining a 300 MW solar photovoltaic plant and a 150 MW battery storage system was put into operation. Built by China Energy Overseas Investment, the complex will generate 657 million kWh of electricity annually—enough to supply approximately 273,000 households—while saving 175 million cubic meters of gas and reducing emissions by 377,000 tonnes per year.

A second renewable energy complex was launched in Karakalpakstan, consisting of a 200 MW wind farm developed by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power and a 100 MW energy storage system. Constructed for US$263 million following a 2023 tender, the wind project is expected to generate 701 million kWh of electricity annually, supplying 292,000 households, saving 187 million cubic meters of gas, and eliminating 403,000 tonnes of atmospheric emissions per year.

Additionally, a standalone energy storage system was commissioned in the Namangan region. China Energy Overseas Investment built the 100 MW / 200 MWh battery facility for US$110 million to store electricity and stabilize grid supply during peak demand hours.