Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 27 August, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting focused on energy conservation and the expansion of alternative energy sources in Uzbekistan.

The demand for energy resources in Uzbekistan is increasing annually, prompting the construction of new power plants and the expansion of generating capacities.

At the beginning of this year, regional targets for electricity and natural gas savings were established. During the President’s visit to Ferghana region in July, scientific methods for exceeding these targets by twofold were outlined.

Researchers from the Ferghana Polytechnic Institute studied electricity consumption in the Ferghana district. For example, the annual losses at the "Logon" substation, which serves 4,600 households and 233 businesses, amount to 5 million kilowatt-hours. This is 1.5 times higher than the standard for natural losses.

According to calculations, the loss of 765 thousand kilowatt-hours could be prevented by evenly distributing the load across 113 transformers receiving electricity from this substation. Importantly, this does not require additional costs, only proper management at the district power grid company.

Furthermore, installing reactive power batteries on 44 transformers that serve water pumps could reduce losses by 1.1 million kilowatt-hours annually. The costs would be recouped within a year.

Overall, losses at 14 substations in the Ferghana district amount to 15.5 million kilowatt-hours, equivalent to approximately 6 billion soums annually. Efficient organization of operations, as described, could achieve the energy-saving plan.

Uzbekistan has about 1,800 such substations and around 100,000 transformers. Instructions have been given to apply this experience in other regions.

In Karakalpakstan, there have been significant achievements in gas conservation. In 95,000 households, replacing old burners with energy-efficient ones and insulating heating systems have saved 145 million cubic meters of gas annually. Using the local budget, the installation of such stoves has begun for an additional 16,000 needy families, which is expected to save 20 million cubic meters of gas and keep 12 billion soums within the households.

In this context, the task was set to replace the heating systems in 1 million households nationwide with energy-saving ones.

Uzbekistan has 2,349 large gas consumers, including many effective ones. For example, a tile manufacturing plant in Akhangaran has implemented a technology for reusing emitted heat. However, only 25 percent of large consumers have modern gas-saving equipment installed.

The President emphasized the importance of this issue, instructing regional administrations and the Energy Inspectorate to address such matters. Orders were given to install energy-saving technologies at enterprises that are major gas consumers.

As is known, according to the Presidential Decree of 23 August, the Inspection for Control over the Use of Electricity, Petroleum Products, and Gas—UzEnergoInspection—has been subordinated to the Cabinet of Ministers. This will enhance its capabilities and work efficiency.

From now on, similar work needs to be carried out with the largest electricity consumers.

There are positive examples in this regard. For instance, a 100 MW solar station has been installed on the Amu-Bukhara canal. As a result, the amount of energy obtained from the grid has been reduced by 30 percent or 200 million kilowatts. The launch of similar capacities is planned.

Considering that 10-11 percent of total electricity consumption is accounted for by water management enterprises, a target was set to reduce electricity consumption in these entities by at least 25 percent over the next three years.

Another important source of energy efficiency is solar energy. For example, an entrepreneur in Altyaryk installed solar panels with a capacity of 300 kilowatts and generates 540 thousand kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, or 486 million soums.

This year, it is planned to install alternative energy sources with a total capacity of 182 MW for the population and 791 MW for entrepreneurs. However, progress in this direction is slow in some regions.

Relevant officials were strictly warned.

"The installation of alternative energy sources is state policy," the President said.

At the meeting, regional governors and energy sector leaders reported on measures taken to save electricity and natural gas in the regions.