Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A ceremony was held to mark the start of construction of new power plants in Namangan region.

In Uzbekistan, special attention is paid to increasing sources of renewable energy. In recent years, 9 solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 1.6 gigawatts have been launched in Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand and Surkhandarya. In addition, 6 hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 183 megawatts were launched in Andijan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya and Tashkent region.

At the moment, Namangan has generating capacity of 913 megawatts. Over the past three years, electricity consumption has increased by 24 percent and will continue to grow.

In this regard, three projects were developed for the region for a total of US$1.1 billion and a total capacity of 1,228 megawatts. This is a cascade of hydroelectric power plants and two solar power plants.

Thus, the Uzbekhydroenergo joint-stock company will build a cascade of 6 hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 228 megawatts on the Naryn River in Uychi district for US$434 million. This will make it possible to produce 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, save 310 million cubic meters of gas and provide electricity to 430 thousand households.

An important aspect is that these hydroelectric power plants will be built using domestically produced equipment and technology, making them the first to be completely national. These stations will employ 133 people, and during construction - 4 thousand people.

In Pap distict, the German company Hyper Partners GmbH plans to build a solar power plant with a capacity of 500 megawatts. The project will cost US$350 million, and the station's annual capacity will be 1 billion 95 million kilowatt-hours.

Another solar power plant will be built in Pap together with Tepelen Group Holding Limited from the United Arab Emirates. The cost of this project is also estimated at US$350 million, and the capacity will be 500 megawatts.

It is planned to connect these stations to the network by the end of this year, which will create 120 permanent jobs.

The implementation of these projects will allow Namangan region to achieve a generating capacity of 2,141 megawatts. 7.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity will be produced annually, which will fully satisfy the region's needs of 5.5 billion kilowatt-hours. The remaining 30 percent of electricity will be sent to Andijan and Ferghana regions.

At the ceremony, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev symbolically pressed the button and launched the construction of these significant energy projects.

“Creating conditions for the prosperous life of our people is one of the main principles of the policy of New Uzbekistan. For this, it is extremely important to launch projects on time, ensuring continuous energy supply for their sustainable operation. Today’s event is of historical significance, and I congratulate everyone on new projects and initiatives,” - noted Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

It is worth noting that in 2025 it is planned to launch electricity storage systems with a total capacity of 200 megawatts in the Papsky and Uychinsky districts. These projects will help balance the unified energy system during periods of increased consumption and ensure a stable supply of electricity to consumers.

Also this year, as part of the construction of 14 solar and wind stations, 2.6 gigawatts of power will be connected to the grid