Launch of 500 kW high-voltage line in the east of Uzbekistan will allow he Ferghana part of Uzbekistan to become independent from the energy system of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekenergo said.

A new power transmission line supplies power to the high-voltage power transmission line 169 km in length stretching from Novo-Angrenskaya Combined Heat and Power Plant in Tashkent region to Uzbekistanskaya substation in Ferghana region.

This will allow to provide some 7.5 billion kWh of electricity to Andijan, Namangan and Ferghana regions annually and will allow Uzbekistan to stop importing electricity from Kyrgyzstan.

The project is worth around US$170 million. It was funded by Uzbekenergo.

According to the State Statistical Committee of Uzbekistan, production of electricity went up in Uzbekistan by 2.3% in Uzbekistan compared with 2007 and totaled 50.1 billion kWh.