Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  During his visit to the Bostanlyk district, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the small hydropower station "Ugam-1."

Uzbekistan is actively developing various energy sources, with hydropower being one of the key areas for ensuring sustainable energy supply.

Hydropower stations in regional areas provide an effective solution for powering districts and mahallas not connected to the central grid. This makes them an important tool for ensuring stable energy supply at low production costs.

In recent years, $630 million has been invested in hydropower development, enabling the construction of new hydropower plants with a total capacity of over 400 megawatts, bringing the country’s total hydropower capacity to 2.2 gigawatts. In Tashkent region alone, there are 25 hydropower stations with a combined capacity of 1,330 megawatts, accounting for 60% of Uzbekistan’s total hydropower capacity. Currently, four more hydropower stations are under construction, and 23 new projects with a capacity of around 2,400 megawatts are planned to be implemented by 2028.

The "Ugam-1" small hydropower station has a capacity of 1.48 megawatts and produces 11.8 million kilowatt-hours of environmentally clean electricity annually. The station is equipped with modern hydropower units and an automated control system, using only domestic materials and equipment. The project will supply electricity to 5,000 households and tourism facilities, while saving about 4 million cubic meters of gas annually.

Additionally, two other small hydropower stations operate on the Ugam River, each generating 200 billion soums in annual revenue. With the reuse of water flow, the number of such stations could increase to ten, providing not only energy supply but also improving regional infrastructure by creating new enterprises in entrepreneurship and agriculture.

To increase the total hydropower capacity to 6,000 megawatts by 2030, foreign investments and private sector involvement will be sought. The country has created all the necessary legal and economic conditions for the construction of up to 2,000 micro- and small hydropower stations.