The Zarchob-3 Hydropower Plant on the Tupalang River in Uzbekistan has been successfully connected to the national grid and has begun generating electricity, according to Dongfang Electric Corporation.
The plant has a capacity of 16MW and is expected to produce 70 million kWh of electricity annually.
The Zarchob-3 project follows earlier developments on the Tupalang River. Zarchob-1, with a capacity of 37MW, began operation in December 2020, and Zarchob-2, with 38MW capacity, was commissioned in September 2021. Together, they currently provide electricity for roughly 48,000 households.
Work on Zarchob-3 began after the foundation stone was laid in November 2023. The project is part of a broader effort, launched under a 2017 presidential decree, to expand small hydropower capacity in the country. The government created incentives for private investment in small and micro hydropower plants, including 20-year land leases and guaranteed electricity purchase agreements.
