President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the newly built small hydroelectric power station near the Hisorak Reservoir in the Shahrisabz district, as Uzbekistan pushes forward with plans to expand renewable energy infrastructure.
The new facility, constructed by O'zbekgidroenergo, has a capacity of 3.5 MW and will generate approximately 17.5mn kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—enough to supply 7,300 households. Built at a cost of $1.5mn, the project was fully localized and is expected to save around 5mn cubic meters of natural gas each year.
The Hisorak region already hosts a main hydropower station, commissioned in 2011, which produces 80mn kWh annually and meets the electricity needs of around 33,000 households. The latest addition is part of Uzbekistan’s broader effort to increase the share of environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy sources.
During his visit, President Mirziyoyev was briefed on future hydropower initiatives, including a plan to install 416 kinetic turbine micro-hydroelectric plants across the country over the next two years. These upcoming plants, with a total capacity of 12 MW, will harness energy from flowing water in ditches and canals.
Currently, the Shahrisabz region operates three hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 49 MW. This number is set to rise, with the aim of meeting 15% of the local population’s electricity needs through hydropower alone.
Nationwide, electricity production has risen by 38% over the past eight years, reaching 81.5bn kWh. This year alone, Uzbekistan plans to commission five more small hydroelectric stations totaling 24.7 MW, reinforcing the country’s shift toward sustainable energy.
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