Southern Fergana canal flooding linked to hydroelectric construction project

On May 8, flooding occurred in Buloqboshi district, Andijan region, due to damage to the Southern Fergana Canal. Initial reports attributed the canal embankment failure to excessive water overflow, later revealing that the construction of an additional hydroelectric power station (HPP) contributed to the disaster. The HPP involved in the incident is being built by Russia, according to "Uzbekgidroenergo" JSC.

The construction of the JFK-3 small HPP on the Southern Fergana Canal is part of a government initiative approved on December 31, 2021. The project is funded by Russia's MPR financial institution, with a planned capacity of 6.9 MW, generating 33 million kWh of electricity annually. The Russian company Energosila is overseeing construction, ensuring turnkey completion.

As part of the hydroelectric plant installation, engineers built a temporary water diversion system, redirecting flow through a bypass channel to sustain irrigation needs during the vegetation season. However, the bypass was designed to handle 60 cubic meters per second, whereas actual water flow reached 70 cubic meters per second, causing erosion along the canal’s embankment and triggering flooding.

Authorities are actively working to eliminate the flood damage, mobilizing equipment and personnel for emergency repairs. Efforts are expected to restore normal canal operations by 14:00 on May 9. Officials have also committed to compensating affected households and agricultural properties for damages caused by the incident.