Uzbekistan signs $4.7bn energy deals and outlines plans for two more nuclear power plants

Uzbekistan has signed six energy agreements valued at $4.7bn. They are part of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s effort to attract foreign capital and supply rising demand from industry and data centres. The deals cover new power generation and energy storage.

The project list names Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and Saudi Tabreed, the UAE’s AMEA Power, Japan’s Toyota Tsusho and Sojitz, France’s EDF, Qatar’s Nebras Power, StorEn and CRE International. Their involvement gives Uzbekistan access to international developers, investors and technical partners.

The agreements cover 3,000 MW of new generating capacity and 400 MW of storage. They are separate from six solar and wind projects, totalling 2,200 MW, that Uzbekistan plans to award through competitive tenders. The government is also changing how projects are selected, with grid connections and electricity purchase terms disclosed in advance.

The agreements cover 3,000 megawatts of new electricity-generating capacity and 400 megawatts of energy storage. Together, those figures show that Uzbekistan is planning both more electricity production and greater flexibility in how electricity is supplied.

Generation capacity is the maximum output that new plants can provide. Storage adds a separate capability: it can hold electricity and release it later. The agreements therefore address two linked needs. Uzbekistan must produce more power, while also managing when that power reaches consumers.

The figures sit within a much larger national programme. By 2030, the government aims to add 22 GW of generating capacity, build 5,000 kilometres of power lines and 16 substations, and expand storage to 4.5 GW. Six additional solar and wind projects, totalling 2,200 MW, will be tendered separately.

Energy storage means keeping electricity available so it can be used later, rather than consuming it immediately. This matters for solar and wind power because their output changes with sunlight and weather. Storage can help match electricity supply with demand, especially when renewable generation falls or peaks.

For example, a storage system connected to a solar or wind project could absorb electricity when production is high. It could then release that power when demand rises or renewable output drops. The six agreements include 400 MW of storage, while Uzbekistan’s 2030 target is 4.5 GW. These figures show storage is becoming part of national planning.

The article does not specify the storage technology or operating rules. It does state that renewables, including hydropower, are expected to provide 54% of generation by 2030, up from 31% today. More storage could support that shift alongside stronger grids.

An integrated electricity system links power plants with transmission lines, substations and local distribution networks. It matters because electricity must travel from where it is generated to factories, homes and data centres. If projects are built without considering the wider grid, power may be concentrated in one area while demand is elsewhere.

President Mirziyoyev said allowing developers to choose plant locations had concentrated generation in some areas and increased transmission costs elsewhere. Uzbekistan now plans competitive tenders that disclose grid connections and electricity purchase terms in advance. This makes the network part of investment planning, rather than an afterthought.

The government aims to build 5,000 kilometres of power lines and 16 substations by 2030. It also expects a national energy master plan through 2050 by July 2027, with a map of grid connection opportunities due in March. These steps should guide new generation toward usable connections.

Uzbekistan is planning a large nuclear expansion to add dependable generating capacity as electricity demand rises. President Mirziyoyev said the country plans a second and a third nuclear power plant, alongside its first project. The expansion is being developed as part of a broader effort to support industry and data centres.

The first plant is being built in Jizzakh with Russia’s Rosatom. It will have two large and two smaller reactors, providing 2,110 MW. The project is estimated to cost up to $9.5bn. Initial technical commissioning is scheduled for 2029, while completion is planned for 2034–2035.

The second and third plants remain less defined. Talks with potential investors in the second project were scheduled, but partners, costs and timetables for the additional plants have not been announced. Nuclear power is therefore planned, but its wider scale and financing are still emerging.

Uzbekistan is not relying on nuclear power alone. Its alternatives include solar and wind projects, hydropower, natural-gas generation, oil and gas exploration, energy-equipment manufacturing and energy-efficiency improvements. This mix matters because electricity demand is rising, while the country also wants renewables to reach 54% of generation by 2030.

A key example is a 1.6 GW gas-fired plant in Syrdarya. It was financed with international partners and is expected to start operating this year. Uzbekistan also plans separate tenders for six solar and wind projects totalling 2,200 MW. In hydrocarbons, 128 exploration blocks are being prepared for foreign investors.

Efficiency is another route to meeting demand. The IFC’s Neil McKain called Uzbekistan a highly energy-intensive economy and identified efficiency as a weakness. The government is also pursuing 12 energy-equipment manufacturing projects worth $850m, aiming to increase domestic production.

Electricity first leaves a power plant and enters the transmission network, which carries large amounts over long distances. Substations manage voltage and redirect power. Local distribution networks then deliver electricity to factories, homes and data centres. This chain must work as one system because a shortfall at any stage can limit supply to customers.

For example, a new solar farm may produce power, but it cannot serve distant factories without a suitable grid connection. Transmission lines move the electricity toward demand centres, substations route it, and distribution networks deliver it locally. Uzbekistan’s earlier plant-location policy showed the problem: generation became concentrated in some areas, increasing transmission costs elsewhere.

The country aims to add 22 GW of generation, build 5,000 kilometres of lines and 16 substations by 2030. World Bank officials said growth will require more generation, transmission infrastructure and efficient distribution. The master plan should help coordinate those investments.