Azernews.Az

The European Union, together with its international partners, has announced large-scale investments aimed at developing Central Asia’s hydropower infrastructure. The decisions were presented at the Global Gateway Forum held in Brussels on October 9–10, according to the European Commission’s press service, Azernews reports.

Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, the EU, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed memorandums of understanding on the €900 million Kambarata Hydropower Plant-1 (HPP-1) project. The feasibility study for the project is financed by the European Union and implemented by the World Bank.

In addition, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering allocating a further €1.3 billion for the plant’s construction.

EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela stated that “investments in hydropower will ensure reliable access to electricity, create new income sources for local communities, and strengthen the resilience of agriculture.”

EIB Vice-President Kyriakos Kakouris stressed that the bank supports projects aimed at fostering regional energy cooperation, while EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso described the project as “a flagship example of regional cooperation and sustainable water resource management.”

Within the Team Europe initiative—which brings together the EU, its member states, and financial institutions—the parties are working to enhance regional coordination in water resource management and energy development.

The Kambarata HPP-1 project is being implemented in Kyrgyzstan on the Naryn River. With a planned capacity of 1,860 megawatts, it will become the country’s largest power facility. Its 256-meter-high dam and 5.4 billion cubic meter reservoir will allow the plant to generate about 5.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

Construction is expected to take about ten years, with the first turbine unit scheduled to begin operation four years after the main construction phase begins. Upon completion, all assets and shares of the hydropower plant will be transferred to the ownership of Kyrgyzstan.