BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 22. Uzbekistan
plans to increase its power generation capacity to 46.1 gigawatts
by 2030 and 57.2 GW by 2035.
This was reflected in a statement by the press service of the
Uzbek president, following the presentation on the development of
the electricity sector and improvements to project management
mechanisms in the fuel and energy industry.
According to the report, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today
reviewed the presentation on the development of the electricity
sector and improvements to project management mechanisms in the
fuel and energy industry.
"Under the plan, Uzbekistan’s annual electricity generation is
expected to reach about 129 billion kilowatt-hours by 2030 and
154.7 billion kWh by 2035. The presentation noted that Uzbekistan’s
economy is targeted to reach $300 billion by 2030, while the
population is expected to exceed 41 million. Electricity
consumption in the industrial sector alone is projected to increase
from 38 billion kWh to 53.5 billion kWh by 2030," the press service
said.
In the course of the presentation, it was noted that the
development of electric transport and data centers is also expected
to create additional electricity demand.
"Energy plans should be developed taking into account the high
pace of economic growth, while a sufficient volume of reserve
capacity must always be maintained," the press service said.
The president emphasized the need to expand generation capacity
ahead of demand growth, increase the capacity of electricity
networks and maintain adequate reserve generation.
Several scenarios for electricity consumption were considered.
Under moderate demand growth, generation and consumption are
expected to remain balanced through 2030. Faster growth in the
economy, industry, electric transport and digital infrastructure,
however, could require additional generation capacity.
The authorities are considering proposals to build additional
wind power plants and energy storage systems, while accelerating
solar and wind energy projects.
At the same time, Mirziyoyev called for a review of projects
with low economic efficiency, unclear financing sources or
prolonged implementation periods. New generation projects are to be
assessed not only by capacity, but also by electricity production
costs, grid connectivity, compatibility with energy storage systems
and their impact on the overall energy balance.
Energy storage is expected to become increasingly important as
the share of renewable energy grows. Storage systems can accumulate
electricity generated by solar and wind plants during the day and
supply it to the grid during evening peak demand, reducing the need
for additional gas-fired generation.
Uzbekistan currently has 26 energy storage projects with a
combined capacity of 4.2 GW, of which 17 projects are under
implementation. The authorities have proposed developing additional
storage projects through 2030.
