TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan is launching a program to install 300-kilowatt small solar power plants in 903 local communities, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek president.
The announcement was made during a videoconference meeting chaired by Shavkat Mirziyoyev, focused on key tasks for poverty reduction and employment generation in 2026.
It was noted that the green energy generated by these solar plants will create a new income-generating asset in each local community, bringing additional revenues of 400-500 million soums ($33,100–$41,400) annually.
This green income will be directed toward the implementation of green initiatives, including energy-efficient renovations in the homes of low-income families, reducing household energy costs, and improving overall living standards.
Similar projects will also be carried out in an additional 1,000 advanced local communities with a high level of specialization. In these areas, small solar power plants will be transferred to local communities under interest-free leasing arrangements for a period of seven years, in a ready-to-operate format.
Meanwhile, last year Uzbekistan’s poverty rate fell from 8.9% to 5.8%, while the unemployment rate decreased from 5.5% to 4.8%.
Uzbekistan has rapidly expanded its solar energy sector, operating 11 large-scale solar photovoltaic power plants by mid-2025, up from only two in 2022. Major plants include the 500 MW Navoi and Bukhara facilities, with over 4,000 MW of total solar and wind capacity.
Supported by foreign investments from companies like Masdar (UAE) and Energy China, the country targets 54% of its electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, planning at least 25 solar stations. Key installations in the Kashkadarya and Bukhara regions have significantly enhanced its green energy capacity.
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