Kyrgyzstan on way to energy independence: dozens of new HPPs being built

Bishkek, April 15 (Kabar/APP) :
A real era of renewal has begun in the energy sector of Kyrgyzstan, head of the information service of the presidential administration Daiyrbek Orunbekov told.
He said that the foundation of the energy system of Kyrgyzstan was laid back in the Soviet period, and to this day the country receives electricity from hydropower plants (HPPs) built 60-70 years ago. After gaining independence and until 2021, practically no serious reforms were carried out in the industry. During this time, the energy sector has been mired in debt, the equipment has become outdated, and of the new facilities, only one unit, the Kambar-Ata HPP-2, has been commissioned.
“In recent years, under the leadership of President Sadyr Zhaparov, large-scale reforms have begun in the energy sector. The President set the goal of achieving energy independence and initiated the active construction of new HPPs and reform of the entire industry,” noted Daiyrbek Orunbekov.
In 2024, dozens of small and medium-sized HPPs were commissioned, such as Bala-Saruu, Kainama, Kok-Art, Ysyk-Ata. In addition, the construction of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 with a capacity of 1860 megawatts is actively continuing, which will significantly strengthen the country’s energy potential and allow Kyrgyzstan to become one of the major energy centers of the region. As Orunbekov emphasized, special attention is paid to the construction of small hydroelectric power plants: favorable conditions are being created to attract investors, which is already yielding results – dozens of new facilities are being built and launched in the country. List of new hydroelectric power plants planned for commissioning in 2025:
Leilek HPP – 6 MW (Batken region), Kozho-Kayir HPP – 0.6 MW (Batken region), Koysu HPP – 8.7 MW (Issyk-Kul region), Sanarip HPP – 2 MW (Chui region), Alai HPP – 4.4 MW (Osh region), Boz-Uchuk HPP – 5.54 MW (Issyk-Kul region), Avletim HPP – 2.6 MW (Jalal-Abad region), Adyn-Unkur HPP – 0.85 MW (Osh region), Kara-Zhygach HPP – 1 MW (Jalal-Abad region), Aksy HPP – 4.75 MW (Jalal-Abad region), Ysyk-Ata-2 HPP – 4 MW (Chui region), Shamshy HPP – 1.7 MW (Chui region), Konduk HPP – 5.3 MW (Osh region), Ken-Tor-1 HPP – 1.3 MW (Chui region), Karagai-Bulak-1 and 2 HPPs – 2 MW each (Chui region), Sokuluk HPP-3 – 9.5 MW (Chui region), Tuyuk HPP – 5.9 MW (Chui region).
Plans for 2026–2030 include the construction of such large facilities as Zhergez, Turgent, Maily-Suu, Orto-Tokoy, Zherui, Chon-Kemin, Papan hydro power plant and others, with a total capacity of hundreds of megawatts.
According to Daiyrbek Orunbekov, the implementation of these projects will allow Kyrgyzstan to ensure energy independence and become a major energy player in Central Asia.