250 micro hydropower plants planned to be built in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, 250 promising sites for the construction of microhydroelectric power stations have been identified, gazeta.uz reports. According to calculations, they will be able to generate 675 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. It is planned to build hybrid hydroelectric power plants near the HPP.

To increase the capacity of hydropower in Uzbekistan, 250 promising sites for the construction of microhydropower plants have been identified. This was discussed at the meeting on improving energy supply, which was held on January 19 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

According to calculations, future micro hydroelectric power plants will be able to generate 675 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and save 200 million cubic meters of gas per year.

Electricity generated at micro hydropower plants has favorable purchase prices, which should attract entrepreneurs to this area, the meeting said.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev set the task of building hybrid power plants, that is, based on wind and solar sources, on free sites around hydroelectric power plants. Due to the availability of ready-made infrastructure, the construction costs of such stations will be low.

According to the presidential press service, in recent years, 27 projects worth $500 million have been implemented in the hydropower industry and an additional 260 megawatts of generating capacity have been created. The total capacity of the stations in the Uzbekhydroenergo system exceeded 2,000 megawatts. This means an annual saving of 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

This year, it is planned to put into operation 7 facilities and 10 micro hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 197 megawatts. In addition, work will begin on the implementation of 8 promising projects and the construction of 50 micro hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 438 megawatts.

The head of state also raised the issue of localization. He instructed to launch the production of equipment for micro hydroelectric power plants at the Suvsanoatmash plant, as well as hydroelectric units in the Tashkent region.

The issues of digitalization of reservoir management and advanced training of personnel were discussed separately.

On the issue of stable energy supply to the population, the President stressed the need to use all available reserves and not to miss the deadlines for the implementation of new and promising projects.

“Tasks have been defined to increase daily energy production in conditions of energy shortage, fair and efficient distribution of resources, systematic delivery of energy to places, and prompt elimination of interruptions”,- the message says.