BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, December 23. Kyrgyzstan plans to start the construction of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant (HPP) in the summer of 2025, President Sadyr Zhaparov announced at a ceremony marking the 90th anniversary of the country's energy sector, Trend reports.
"The Kambarata-1 hydroelectric project, which we call the "project of the century," is actively developing with the participation of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and the support of the World Bank. If everything goes according to plan, we will begin constructing the base dam and other infrastructure facilities by next summer," the president said.
He emphasized that the commissioning of Kambarata-1 will allow the Toktogul Hydropower Plant to operate at optimal capacity. This will ensure water supply to neighboring countries during the spring and summer seasons and fully meet Kyrgyzstan's electricity needs during the autumn and winter months. The construction of this plant is seen as a strategic step toward Kyrgyzstan's energy independence. Moreover, Kambarata-1 will play a crucial role in the efficient management of water resources in Central Asia.
Taalaibek Ibrayev, the country’s energy minister, also announced during the event that the Swedish engineering and consulting company Afry, which is serving as the consultant for the Kambarata-1 project, will present the concrete dam design in May 2025.
The first hydro unit of the Kambarata-1 HPP is slated to be commissioned in 2028. The preliminary cost of the project is estimated to be between $4.5 billion and $5 billion, with a planned capacity of 1,860 MW. The plant is expected to produce 5.6 billion kWh of electricity annually.