According to an article published in the newspaper Halk Suzi on September 20, 2026, Uzbekistan intends to implement 73 hydropower projects totaling $5.8 billion, which will add 3.6 gigawatts of new capacity by 2032. This new phase of hydropower development was approved by a presidential decree dated May 1 of this year.
Only in 2026 are 13 hydroelectric power plants expected to be commissioned, providing a power increase of 114 megawatts, an annual electricity generation of 537 million kilowatt-hours, and creating 254 jobs.
A separate part of the program focuses on the development of small and micro-hydroelectric power plants. A proposal for the construction of 2983 small and micro-hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 164 megawatts was presented, which was discussed at a presentation attended by the president.
Design and construction procedures for facilities up to 100 kilowatts are being simplified. Additionally, water management structures will be authorized to independently build small and micro-hydroelectric power plants for their own needs without holding auctions for installations up to 50 kilowatts.
Part of the program has already been completed. Before the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan's Independence, the Chorbog wind power plant with a capacity of 20 megawatts was launched in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region, which is expected to generate 50 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
The Rabat HPP with a capacity of 6.2 megawatts has been put into operation in Kashkadarya region, providing an average annual generation of 26.2 million kilowatt-hours. This is enough to supply about 11,000 households and will also allow for annual savings of 8 million cubic meters of natural gas and 6700 tons of coal.
The Zarchob-3A micro-HPP with a capacity of 0.5 megawatts has been launched in Sukhondarya region. Simultaneously, the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power plants on the Kishtu River in the upper reaches of the Tupolang River is continuing. This project involves 42 small HPPs with a total capacity of 541 megawatts and a potential annual generation of about 1.9 billion kilowatt-hours.
In Namangan region, small HPPs Kugai-1 and Kugai-2 have been commissioned on the Bolshoy Andijan Canal with a total capacity of 18 megawatts. Their average annual output of 132.1 million kilowatt-hours will cover the needs of approximately 53,000 households and ensure annual savings of up to 40 million cubic meters of natural gas or 33,000 tons of coal.
According to Abdurakhmonov, localization of technologies is becoming a key condition for implementing the program. Uzbekistan has established the UzHydroPower factory, specializing in the production of hydro-turbines and technological equipment, and the first stage of the Naryn HPP cascade has already been implemented under the 'national project' model.
