Photo: Press Service of the President of Uzbekistan
In Namangan region, the first of six hydropower plants in a single cascade on the Naryn River has been commissioned. The plant was built entirely with Uzbek materials and equipment, making it the country’s first national hydropower facility, the press service of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reported.
The president launched the construction of the hydro complex on March 25, 2024. On September 16, 2025, during his visit to Namangan region, Mirziyoyev inspected the new facility, which marks the first stage in building the cascade.
The plant, known as HPP-1, is designed to generate 171 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and has created 130 jobs. The project will provide power to 430,000 households and save 290 million cubic meters of gas per year, worth an estimated 300 billion soums ($24.4 million).
For the first time in Uzbekistan, horizontal capsule hydro units have been installed at the facility, offering high efficiency even with a low water head. This innovation marks a new chapter in the country’s hydropower development.
The station includes a water intake structure, administrative and service buildings, and a dispatch center. Six thousand decorative trees have been planted on-site, with an additional 7,000 fruit trees planned for next spring, positioning HPP-1 as a future center of eco-tourism.
The large-scale project, carried out by Uzbekhydroenergo JSC, involves the construction of six hydropower plants on the Naryn River at a total cost of $428 million. Once complete, the cascade will have a combined capacity of 228 megawatts.
The Naryn cascade is a strategic project aimed at advancing the “green” economy and improving living standards. The second and third plants are scheduled to launch next year, with the remaining facilities to follow in 2027.
More broadly, Uzbekistan has been prioritizing renewable energy. In recent years, more than 10 solar, wind, and hydro plants with a combined capacity of 450 megawatts have been commissioned across Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya regions.
