Uzbekistan plans to increase annual electricity generation to more than 129bn kilowatt-hours by 2030, with renewable energy accounting for 54% of the total, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during an open dialogue with investors in the fuel and energy sector, according to the presidential press service.
The country aims to develop 22,000 megawatts of new generation capacity by the end of the decade as part of efforts to meet rising electricity demand and improve the reliability of energy supplies.
Mirziyoyev described energy as central to economic development, emphasizing that a stable power supply is essential for attracting business investment and maintaining public confidence in the future.
Over the past decade, Uzbekistan has opened its energy market to private investment and introduced public-private partnership mechanisms to modernize aging infrastructure and expand generation capacity. These efforts have attracted $35bn in investment, while the number of partner countries has increased from two or three to more than 10, the president said.
The share of renewable sources, including solar, wind and hydropower, has risen to 31% of total electricity generation. Uzbekistan's installed green energy capacity has reached 11.1 GW, while per capita electricity production has increased by 28% to 2.3 kWh, according to the presidential press service.
During the meeting, agreements were signed for six major projects worth a combined $4.5bn. The projects are expected to add 3,000 MW of generation capacity and 400 MW of energy storage capacity.
Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbekistan had accumulated experience in preparing energy projects and working with investors. He stressed that the next stage of cooperation should focus not only on expanding capacity but also on improving supply reliability and reducing energy losses.
A recently signed presidential decree establishes a clearer division of responsibilities between the state and private businesses in the fuel and energy sector. Under the new approach, projects will be implemented through open competition, transparent rules and consistent enforcement of agreed terms.