Uzbekistan invested over $2 billion in modernizing power grids

Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khojaev held a meeting with Shingo Ueno, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation, and Yoshihiro Miyamoto, President and Director of Shikoku Electric Power.

The parties discussed the implementation of joint energy projects totaling $4.2 billion. This meeting took place at the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan.

The main focus of the negotiations was on the development of renewable energy. Discussions covered the construction of solar power plants in the Samarkand region, wind power plants in Karakalpakstan, and energy storage systems.

Key objectives include the timely commissioning of solar power plants and obtaining all necessary permits for the wind project to enter the implementation phase. Participants also reviewed opportunities for cooperation in the production of cable products for power lines, mining industry, and ambulance supplies.

The prospects for applying the experience of Japanese companies in managing special economic zones, as well as in the fields of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, were discussed separately. Other potential areas of cooperation include the modernization of electrical grids, operation of energy storage systems, and training qualified personnel.

The authorities of Uzbekistan intend to significantly increase the production of wind energy, planning to raise the total capacity of wind power plants in the country to over 10 gigawatts by 2030.

Compared to solar installations, wind power plants in Uzbekistan are capable of generating approximately 1.4 times more electricity under identical operating conditions. This is because wind farms in local conditions can operate for about 3,200 hours annually, whereas solar stations operate for approximately 2,300 hours.

Thus, with an equal installed capacity of one megawatt, a wind farm can produce approximately one and a half times more electricity per year than a solar one.

The development of wind energy is considered one of the most important directions in the structure of renewable energy sources in Uzbekistan, and new stations and high generation levels will help the country diversify its electricity generation sources and increase the share of renewable energy.

The Ministry of Energy notes that this development will help achieve the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy. According to available data, this share already reached 45% as of June 2026, which is higher than the figure of 33.6% in the previous year.