When will stop cut off the electricity in Uzbekistan?

Sergey Kondratiev, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented to Sputnik Uzbekistan on the consequences of reducing electricity generation at hydroelectric power plants.

In Uzbekistan, hydroelectric power plants have cut electricity generation by almost 30%. Fifty thermal power plants, which provide the main flow of electricity, do not cope with the needs of the population.

An expert from the Institute for Energy and Finance confirmed that Uzbek hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) produce less than 10% of all electricity in the country - about 6.5 billion kWh per year. Uzbekistan can increase the generation of electricity at thermal power plants. However, even such a small percentage (23%) of a decrease in the production of electricity from hydropower plants can negatively affect the situation in the country.

"It is important to note that the possibility of intraday load regulation, which is usually performed by hydroelectric power plants, is reduced. Plus, of course, thermal generation produces more expensive electricity," Kondratiev explains.

In addition, Uzbekistan has a rather tense gas balance, especially in the autumn-winter period. According to the expert, the key problem now is the need to build a common electricity market. First of all, you need to agree on the balance of consumption and payment for electricity.

According to the expert, by 2030, electricity consumption in the country may grow to 121 billion kWh, that is, almost doubled by the level of 2019. The commissioning of the nuclear power plant will increase the supply by 18 billion kWh. The generation of renewable energy sources and gas thermal power plants will noticeably grow.