TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 20. Uzbekistan’s power grid is not yet fully equipped to handle sharp spikes in electricity demand, especially as the share of renewable energy sources (RES) grows, increasing the risk of outages and energy losses during peak periods.
The data obtained by Trend from PwC’s latest report, shows that transmission lines typically operate at 90 percent of their capacity, while the optimal load is around 60 percent. During peak demand, lines can reach 100 percent capacity, leading to service interruptions. The need for additional transmission lines is driven by outdated infrastructure, which limits efficient power distribution and access to reliable energy. Transmission losses averaged around 15 percent of total generation between 2020 and 2023.
Modern smart grids provide real-time energy management and system flexibility. Without such systems, effective energy distribution and utilization remain challenging. Limited digitalization, including underdeveloped SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, hampers optimization and reduces resilience to disruptions.
Moreover, most specialists in Uzbekistan have been trained primarily to work with conventional fossil-fuel-based systems, resulting in a significant shortage of skills in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and flexible grid management—key components of the energy transition. Current training programs fail to meet rising demand, maintaining reliance on foreign experts and slowing project implementation. Additionally, a weak local manufacturing sector necessitates importing RES components, increasing costs, and limiting technology transfer and domestic industrial development. Institutional capacity constraints, including insufficient technical expertise in government agencies to evaluate and approve complex energy transition projects, can cause delays, heighten regulatory uncertainty, and potentially reduce investor confidence.
Despite these challenges, Uzbekistan is making significant progress in renewable energy development. Installed capacity is projected to grow sharply, from just 1 GW in 2023 to 23.6 GW by 2035.
