DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, November 4. The hydropower capacity in Central Asia is set to increase with new projects in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) said, Trend reports.
He made this statement during the World Hydropower Congress 2023 in Indonesia.
Podguzov said that the Central Asian region currently has over 80 hydropower stations with a combined installed capacity of approximately 14,000 MW. The plan until 2035 is to boost the hydropower capacity in the region by 8,900 MW through the modernization of existing plants and the construction of new hydroelectric power stations.
Podguzov highlighted some of the major projects in the region, including the construction of the 1,860 MW Kambarata HPP-1 in Kyrgyzstan and the 3,600 MW Rogun HPP in Tajikistan, the last one known for having the world's tallest dam at 335 meters.
He also mentioned that this year, the EDB has begun financing the construction of the 100 MW Kulanak HPP in Kyrgyzstan and is in negotiations regarding the funding of other hydropower projects, including Kambarata HPP-1 and Rogun HPP.
Podguzov noted that the bank plans to invest over $400 million in the development of the Central Asian water-energy complex in the next three years. According to the bank's estimates, Central Asia is one of the few regions in the world where less than 25 percent of the hydropower potential has been utilized.
