The government of Uzbekistan has outlined plans to expand its hydropower sector as part of efforts to diversify electricity generation and meet rising demand.
During a sector briefing, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed development measures and ongoing projects across the country’s hydropower portfolio. Uzbekistan currently relies primarily on natural gas and coal for electricity generation, with hydropower accounting for around 10–12% of output.
The country has more than 150,000km of rivers, canals and streams, which authorities identify as a key resource for energy generation, water management and economic development.
Installed hydropower capacity has increased from 1.6GW in 2017 to 2.4GW in 2025, with the number of plants rising from 36 to 100 over the same period. Domestic manufacturing capability has also been expanded, including the commissioning of a plant producing hydroelectric equipment.
Plans presented at the meeting include 73 projects to be implemented between 2026 and 2032, with a combined value of $5.8bn. These are expected to add 3.6GW of new capacity.
In 2026, 13 hydropower plants and one wind project are scheduled for commissioning, with total capacity of 114MW and annual generation of 537GWh. The projects are expected to create 254 jobs. A separate 20MW wind plant is under construction in the Bostanlyk district with grant funding support.
Among the larger schemes, the Upper Pskem hydropower plant is planned with a capacity of 160MW and annual generation of 484GWh. The project is expected to supply electricity to more than 160,000 households. In the Fergana region, a 15MW hydropower plant in Sokh district is also planned under a domestic delivery model.
Additional development potential has been identified in the Upper Tupalang watercourses, where 42 small hydropower plants could deliver a combined capacity of 541MW and annual generation of around 1.9TWh.
The government is also considering the construction of three pumped storage hydropower plants with total capacity of 1.4GW, in line with international trends in energy storage. Plans were also outlined for nearly 3,000 small and micro hydropower installations with combined capacity of 164MW.
Digitalisation is expected to play a larger role in the sector, with monitoring systems being deployed to track water flows, reservoir conditions and operational performance. Around 3,500 monitoring devices have already been installed to support dam safety.
The president instructed officials to ensure timely delivery of projects and to increase local content in hydropower development.
Separate urban water management initiatives were also reviewed, including riverbank rehabilitation and the development of artificial lakes to improve environmental conditions in the capital.
