Kyrgyzstan to Release Updated Kambarata-1 Impact Assessment
The Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan will publish an updated environmental and social impact assessment for the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant on the Naryn River by the end of April 2026. The document is undergoing revisions to incorporate feedback from environmentalists, local residents, and technical specialists, as confirmed in an official communication to the Rivers without Boundaries public fund.
Upon the release of the final assessment document, all stakeholders will receive notifications detailing the outcomes of their submitted proposals. This revision process follows a series of multi-level public discussions conducted during the autumn of 2025.
The initial phase of public consultations occurred in October 2025 within the proposed construction zone of the Kambarata-1 facility. Project details were presented to residents of four rural districts in the Jalal-Abad region: Atay in the Toguz-Toro district, alongside Sary-Kamysh, Toluk, and Nichke-Say in the Toktogul district. By mid-October, discussions advanced to the national level – convening government officials, non-profit organizations, and civil society representatives in Bishkek.
The transboundary implications of the hydropower plant necessitated international consultations. In early November 2025, hearings took place in Istanbul, gathering delegations from the downstream nations – Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Independent experts also participated in these discussions.
The Ministry of Energy acknowledged the participation of Rivers without Boundaries in both the Bishkek and Istanbul hearings, highlighting the continued engagement of the non-governmental sector in the environmental review of the project.
