Kyrgyzstan Commissions Two Small Hydropower Plants
Two new small hydropower plants, Sokuluk and Tuyuk, have been commissioned in the Chüy Region of Kyrgyzstan. President Sadyr Japarov attended the launch ceremony, emphasizing the strategy to rely on renewable energy sources to gradually reduce the country’s energy dependence.
The national energy system has experienced severe overloads in recent years, particularly during the winter months. Existing power generation facilities are unable to meet the growing demand, frequently compelling the government to import electricity from neighboring countries.
As an immediate measure, authorities are encouraging the construction of small hydropower plants. The newly operational cascade on the Sokuluk River and its tributary, the Tuyuk, has a total installed capacity of 15.6 megawatts. All generated electricity will be fed directly into the national grid. The project was entirely financed by a local investor, Sokuluk GES-3, which invested approximately 1.7 billion soms in developing the required infrastructure, power plant buildings, and transmission lines.
The hydropower sector in Kyrgyzstan is currently undergoing rapid expansion. Construction is underway on 50 small power stations across the country – 13 of which are scheduled to begin generating electricity by the end of the year. There are already 48 similar facilities operating nationwide, providing a combined capacity of 180 megawatts.
