Kyrgyzstan Advances Naryn River Hydropower Modernization
The state-owned company Electric Stations is implementing a comprehensive hydropower modernization program in Kyrgyzstan to meet the growing domestic electricity demand. The initiative focuses on upgrading existing facilities along the Naryn cascade and preparing sites for new energy infrastructure. The primary phase of the current works is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
At the Uch-Kurgan hydroelectric power plant, the engineering corporation CNEEC is dismantling equipment across two operational units. Engineers are disassembling the runner chamber and assembling rotor components on the second unit, while preparations are underway to extract the turbine shaft from the first unit. Concurrent infrastructure improvements at the dam include the formation of an anti-filtration curtain and the elevation of spillway gates to the 542-meter mark. The facility is also upgrading its 10/0.4 kV switchgears. Both modernized units are slated for commissioning by late 2026.
Grid capacity expansion is advancing at the Kurpsai hydroelectric power plant. New 125,000 kVA autotransformers have been delivered to the site to replace the legacy 63,000 kVA equipment. Engineers are finalizing the reconstruction design for the 220/110 kV substation. The construction and commissioning cycle will continue until August 2026, after which the new equipment will enter commercial operation.
The largest investment in the portfolio is the Kambarata-1 hydroelectric power plant, designed with a projected capacity of 1,860 megawatts. Logistics infrastructure, including power lines, access roads, and a worker settlement, is currently under construction prior to the commencement of the main dam. The primary engineering task for the next two years involves constructing an automotive bridge over the Naryn River with a load capacity of up to 400 tons. The 200-meter-long and 11-meter-wide crossing will facilitate direct delivery of heavy machinery to the right bank. Reinforced concrete pillars are already in place, and specialists are systematically advancing metal spans across them. The completion of the bridge – scheduled for July 2026 – will initiate the primary construction phase of the power plant.
Downstream, a production base is being established for the launch of the second hydroelectric unit at the Kambarata-2 facility. Contractors DEC-SM and Sinohydro are constructing residential buildings, offices, and laboratories for technical personnel. Design documentation is being finalized for the main technological components of the new turbine. The integration of this unit, scheduled for early 2029, will double the plant output from 120 to 240 megawatts.
The broader equipment replacement and construction program is designed to mitigate the operational wear of existing generation assets. The integration of modernized turbines and upgraded substations will alter the internal energy balance and directly influence the stability of power grids across the wider region.
