Kyrgyzstan unveils ambitious plans to expand small hydropower capacity

Kyrgyzstan is set to launch several small hydropower plants totaling 80 MW in capacity across existing reservoirs between 2024 and 2027, as outlined in the country's National Energy Program until 2035. The program, presented by the Cabinet of Ministers to the Kyrgyz Parliament, lays out a detailed roadmap for this endeavor, Azernews reports.

The proposed projects include:

- The Balasaryu HPP, generating 21 MW, located in the Kirov reservoir (scheduled for commissioning in 2024).
- The Orto-Tokoy reservoir HPP, with a capacity of 21 MW (to be commissioned in 2026).
- The Kara-Kul HPP, boasting 18 MW capacity (to come online in 2026).
- The Papan HPP, with a planned capacity of 20 MW (set to be operational by 2027).

According to estimates provided by the Institute of Water Issues and Hydropower of the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan, the country's hydroelectric resources stand at 245.2 billion kWh, with a technically feasible exploitable potential of 142.5 billion kWh.

The report highlights the concentration of hydroelectric potential in key river basins, notably Naryn (36 percent), Fergana Valley (27 percent), Sary-Jaz (10.7 percent), and Chuy (9 percent). The Naryn River basin emerges as particularly promising, with a potential capacity of 6,970 MW, alongside the Sary-Jaz River basin, boasting a capacity potential of 993 MW.