Construction of a $240 million waste-to-energy plant completed in Tashkent region

The legislative chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan reviewed the response from Sharifbek Hasanov, Director of the Waste Management Agency and Circular Economy Development, to a parliamentary inquiry regarding measures to improve waste management, develop the circular economy, and enhance the efficiency of related service payments.

According to the information provided, between 2019 and 2025, 54 municipal solid waste landfills were restored in Uzbekistan, returning 262.8 hectares of land to nature. Currently, sanitary services cover 8042 out of 8992 mahallas, or local communities in the country.

To strengthen the technical capacity of sanitation companies, the number of specialized vehicles has been increased; a total of 4606 such vehicles are currently operating across the country. Additionally, 4376 waste collection points have been equipped, and 39401 containers have been installed. These measures have enabled the servicing of an additional 600,000 residents.

Another area of focus is the production of electricity from waste. Six large projects with a total value of 933 million US dollars are being implemented in the country, of which $461.3 million has already been invested. It is planned that after commissioning, scheduled for the first half of 2027, these facilities will process 3.6 million tons of waste annually through thermal treatment and generate 1.6 billion kWh of electricity.

These projects are also expected to save 400 million cubic meters of natural gas annually, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 800,000 tons, and create 1,000 permanent jobs. To improve waste management, geographical data has been collected for 9061 local self-government bodies, 75569 streets, 227 landfills, and 3548 waste collection points. 3918 specialized waste collection vehicles are connected to a GPS monitoring system, and surveillance cameras have been installed at 1483 sites.

The response to the parliamentary inquiry also noted that since November 2025, subscribers with unpaid waste collection bills receive SMS notifications from the number 2100, managed by the Regional Electric Network of JSC. Nevertheless, legislators pointed out persistent problems, emphasizing the need to prevent the charging of debts for sanitary services that were not actually provided, correct technical errors in SMS notifications, and strengthen supervision in this area.

Deputies also called on the agency to intensify efforts to improve the quality of sanitary services, expand waste sorting and recycling, and develop the circular economy. Priorities include the production of energy resources, raw materials, and materials from secondary resources. After reviewing the matter, the legislators stressed the importance of continuing parliamentary oversight to ensure compliance with environmental requirements, protect public health, and improve sanitary conditions throughout the country. The response from the Director of the Waste Management Agency and Circular Economy Development was taken into account.

The modernization of ten electrical substations is being carried out in the city of Tashkent with the aim of increasing their throughput capacity and ensuring more stable electricity supply. The replacement of power transformers will lead to an increase in total additional capacity by 333.2 megavolt-amperes, allowing the entire system to cope with increased loads.

The work covered the following substations: 'Risovaya', 'SAZIIT', 'Istikbol', 'Yangi Tuzel', 'Tuzel', 'Karasu', 'Charogon', 'Gornaya', 'Bibliotechnaya', and 'Vystavochnaya'. More powerful transformers were installed at each of these stations, which contributed to the increase in throughput capacity and the creation of additional reserve.

The most significant increase in capacity was recorded at the 'Karasu' substation, where the indicator rose from 53.6 to 138.6 megavolt-amperes. Additionally, the capacity at 'Yangi Tuzel' increased almost fourfold—from 12.6 to 50 megavolt-amperes. At the 'Istikbol' station, after the completion of the work, the capacity will reach 126 megavolt-amperes, exceeding the previous 80 megavolt-amperes.

Overall, this modernization will enable Tashkent's energy infrastructure to better withstand loads, minimize the probability of outages, and improve the overall quality of electricity supply for all consumers. It should be noted that as of the end of 2025, Uzbekistan has commissioned 11 substations with a total capacity of 1,614 megavolt-amperes and 420 kilometers of electrical networks.