Electricity consumption in Uzbekistan's industrial sector is projected to increase by approximately 40% by 2030. The consumption volume will rise from 38 to 53.5 billion kilowatt-hours. This additional load on the energy system will be driven by the development of electric transport and data centers.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on the prospects for power industry development, provided by the president's press service. It was noted that the current capacity of solar and wind stations already exceeds 6.3 gigawatts, and the number of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) has surpassed 100, reaching a capacity of about 2.5 gigawatts.
According to approved plans, generating capacity should reach 46.1 gigawatts by 2030, ensuring the production of about 129 billion kilowatt-hours. More ambitious goals have been set for 2035: capacity should grow to 57.2 gigawatts, and output to 154.7 billion kilowatt-hours.
As part of the plan implementation, 26 energy storage system projects with a total capacity of 4.2 gigawatts have been formed, 17 of which are already under implementation. By 2030, the construction of nine 220-kilovolt substations and seven 500-kilovolt substations is planned, along with the laying of nearly five thousand kilometers of new power lines. In Karakalpakstan, the possibility of connecting wind farms with one-gigawatt data centers is being considered.
The President emphasized the need to develop plans that account for high rates of economic growth, as well as ensuring an adequate reserve of capacity. A new project management methodology has been proposed: first, the required demand is determined, then the necessary infrastructure and capacity are planned, and only after that is the investor selected through a competitive selection process.
The distribution of responsibilities between agencies is defined as follows: the Ministry of Economy and Finance will handle demand forecasting, the Ministry of Energy will develop the strategy, and the agency for energy market development and regulation will oversee tariffs. Furthermore, a long-term concept for the fuel and energy complex development until 2050 is provided, with mandatory review every five years.
At the meeting, the President was shown changes in the country's transport network. It is planned that by 2030, the volume of transport services will double, 9.1 billion dollars in investment will be attracted to the industry, and the export of transport services will reach 5.7 billion dollars.
