Construction of a small hydropower plant and a solar power station has begun in Kyrgyzstan’s Jalal-Abad region as part of efforts to expand domestic electricity generation and reduce reliance on energy imports.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 28 and was attended by the presidential envoy to the region, Tilek Tekebayev; the project’s scientific supervisor and former Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov; as well as representatives of the Chinese corporation SINOMACH.
The project involves the construction of two facilities: a small hydropower plant with a capacity of 5 megawatts and an annual output of around 20 million kWh, and a solar power plant with a capacity of 1 megawatt, generating approximately 1.6 million kWh per year.
The total investment, to be implemented under a public-private partnership model, is estimated at $259.8 million.
Once operational, the facilities are expected to help reduce electricity shortages in the region and decrease dependence on imports.
The project is also expected to create more than 100 jobs and provide irrigation for over 1,000 hectares of arid land.
Kyrgyzstan is accelerating the development of small hydropower projects amid rising electricity demand and limited generation capacity.
Currently, 48 small hydropower plants are operating in the country, with a combined capacity of around 180 megawatts. Another 50 facilities are under construction, which authorities say will strengthen the country’s energy independence.
