“Natural gas consumption will decrease by 7 billion cubic meters”: New capacities launched

On December 5, during a ceremony attended by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, 42 new energy and infrastructure facilities worth nearly 11 billion dollars were commissioned, and construction began on an additional 21 new projects.

Across various regions of Uzbekistan, 16 solar, wind, thermal, and hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 3,500 megawatts have been put into operation. Once they reach full capacity, they will generate 15 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. As a result, next year the volume of “green” energy production will reach 23 billion kilowatt-hours.

“Note that this means the annual electricity consumption of Uzbekistan’s population will be fully covered,” the president stated.

Most importantly, thanks to clean energy, natural gas consumption will decrease by almost 7 billion cubic meters. Emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere will be reduced by 11 million tons.

Additionally, 10 energy storage systems with a combined capacity of 1,245 megawatts are being launched. These systems will allow the grid to receive up to 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours of additional electricity during peak consumption hours. The 11 large substations and 420 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines being commissioned will help ensure the stability of the system.

The president emphasized that in order to meet the growing demand for electricity, it is essential to launch more than 17,000 megawatts of additional renewable energy capacity by 2030. As a result, the share of “green” energy in total electricity generation will reach 54 percent.

Today, major steps are being taken with the launch of 3,500 megawatts of green capacity worth 3.3 billion dollars in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, as well as in the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, and Tashkent regions. To integrate these new capacities into the unified energy system, 6,000 kilometers of high-voltage power lines will be installed. In particular, 1,000 kilometers will be built next year alone, and 6,000 megawatts of additional capacity will be created at substations.