Aging hydroelectric power plants of Kyrgyzstan: giants of the Soviet era require renewal
In the structure of electricity generation in Kyrgyzstan, the main share is occupied by hydroelectric power plants (90%), the main of which are located in the south of the country. The main five hydroelectric power stations of the country are located on the Naryn River with an installed capacity of 2,860 MW — Toktogulskaya, Kurpsayskaya, Tashkent, Shamaldysayskaya and Uch-Kurgan. The main problem is that all of them were built in Soviet times, that is, a long time ago. The main and powerful stations are being upgraded at the expense of donor funds in order to at least slightly increase their capacity and extend their service life. Kaktus.media has collected basic information about hydroelectric power plants, where the bulk of electricity is generated in Kyrgyzstan:
Uch-Kurgan HPP
This is the first hydroelectric power station built on the Naryn River. The first unit of the HPP was launched on December 30, 1961. It is this date that is considered the birthday of the Uch-Kurgan HPP. In June 1964, the state commission commissioned the station.
Uch-Kurgan HPP is the first in terms of construction time, but the last stage of the Naryn cascade of HPPs. Its construction created the prerequisites for the construction of the following stations on the Naryn River. The installed capacity of the facility is 180 MW, and the average annual electricity generation is 820 million kWh.
Since last year, work has been underway on the reconstruction of the station. This is happening for the first time since construction. After the reconstruction, the capacity of each hydroelectric unit will increase by 9 MW, and the total capacity of the HPP will increase to 216 MW. The project is scheduled to be completed this year. The total cost of the project is estimated at $160 million, including grants and loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Eurasian Development Bank.
Toktogul HPP
Toktogul HPP, the flagship of the Kyrgyz energy system, is the most powerful power plant in our country, its total capacity is 1,320 MW, and the average annual output is 5.5-6 billion kWh.
The construction of the Toktogul HPP began in 1962 and was commissioned in 1975. This station is distinguished by unusual design solutions, such as a gravity concrete dam, curved towards the lower reaches, and an engine room with a double-row arrangement of hydraulic units.
The Toktogul HPP has been working on the reconstruction and modernization of the station since 2017. According to the plans, all four units of the station will be gradually replaced. It is expected that due to this work, the life of the station will be extended for another 30-40 years, as well as its capacity will increase. The project is financed by the Asian and Eurasian Development Banks. The completion of the reconstruction and an increase in the capacity of the station to 1,440 MW is scheduled for November 2025.
Kurpsayskaya HPP
It is the second largest hydroelectric power station in the country. The construction of the Kurpsai HPP began in 1975 on the decline of work on the construction of the upstream Toktogul HPP. In 1985, the Naryn River was blocked. The first hydroelectric unit of the station was commissioned on February 21, 1981, the second on December 19, 1981, the third on April 15, 1982, and the fourth on November 4, 1982.
The station has four hydroelectric units with a capacity of 200 MW each. The installed capacity of the station is 800 MW, and the average annual output is 2.63 billion kWh. Large-scale work on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the station is not being carried out today.
Tashkent hydroelectric power station
The Tashkent hydroelectric power station was built on the Naryn River and is located on the boundary of the Nooken and Aksy districts, 18.5 km below the Kurpsai hydroelectric complex. The station is located in a narrow mountain valley, where the width of the channel is 50-80 m.
The construction of this HPP began in 1981, when the Kurpsai HPP was being completed. In 1985, the Naryn River was blocked. The first hydroelectric unit of the station was commissioned on December 22, 1985, the second on August 30, 1986 and the third on September 30, 1987. In 2001, the Tashkent hydroelectric power station was brought to the design capacity of 450 MW. In 2017, the Tashkent Hydroelectric Power Station was put into operation by the State Acceptance Commission.
The installed capacity of the station is 450 MW, the average annual output is 1.6 billion. kW·h. This year, the capital and current repairs of three hydroelectric units are being carried out at the Tashkent hydroelectric power station.
Shamaldysayskaya HPP
The Shamaldysai HPP was built on the Naryn River 14 km below the Tashkent hydroelectric power station. The construction of the hydroelectric power station was started in February 1986, when the construction at the Tashkent hydroelectric power station was coming to an end. The first hydroelectric unit of the station was commissioned on July 1, 1992, the second on February 12, 1994 and the third on December 30, 1995.
The station reached its design capacity of 450 MW only in 2002. In 2018, a standard gantry crane was installed, replacing temporary lifting mechanisms designed to maneuver the station’s gates. Officially, the construction of the station has not been completed.
The design capacity of the station is 240 MW, the average annual output is 0.9 billion. kW·h.
Kambar-Ata HPP-2
It was planned that Kambar-Ata HPP-2 will become part of the cascade of Kambar-Ata HPPs. The construction of the station began in 1986. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, construction was practically stopped. Full-scale construction of Kambar-Ata HPP-2 resumed only in 2008 at the expense of the republic’s own funds.
The launch of the first unit of the Kambar-Ata HPP-2 with a capacity of 120 MW took place on November 27, 2010. The design installed capacity of the Kambar-Ata HPP-2 with three units is 360 MW, 120 MW each. Work on the installation of the second unit of the station is planned to be completed by 2029.
At-Bashinskaya HPP
At-Bashinskaya HPP is located on a tributary of the Naryn River and is located at an altitude of 2,000 meters. The installed capacity of At-Bashinskaya HPP at the end of 2023 corresponds to the design data and amounts to 45.6 MW.
By the end of 2020, four hydroelectric units with an installed capacity of 10 MW each were installed at the power plant, while the average annual output was 130-160 million kWh. As part of the At-Bashinskaya HPP Reconstruction project, all four units of the station with a capacity of 11.44 MW each were replaced in the period from 2020 to 2022.
The construction of the hydroelectric power station was started in 1964. The At-Bashi River was closed in November 1965, and all the hydroelectric units of the station were put into operation in December 1970.
Original (in Russian): Стареющие ГЭС Кыргызстана: гиганты советской эпохи требуют обновления
